Angelo Caduto (Gakuen SpaMano)
by Renriri
Summary: DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HETALIA. ALL CHARACTERS ARE BY HIDEKAZ HIMARUYA. - "I'm straight." Lovino is sixteen - and is pretty sure he's straight. He's a ladies' man, after all. (But he doesn't have much smarts.) Antonio, on the other side, is handsome and smart...but oblivious. But when the two are paired up at school for two years - could something between them change?
1. Chapter 1

"Eeeeeh? You **_still_** don't have a girlfriend?!"

I sighed. "Clarisse, I—"

"But you're going to turn _seventeen_ this year!" she protested. "It's unbelievable that you still don't have one. Don't you even have a crush on anyone?"  
"That's right," my mother called back. "Has anyone even caught your eye yet?"

…Hm. No.

Within two days, I'm going to be a second year in high school.

Ever since I was about thirteen years old, I've been going to W Academy, a multicultural private boarding high school, located in Tokyo, Japan.

Why? Because of my _mom._

My mom is one of those parents who always has high expectations of her kids, especially her sons. My dad doesn't really mind, as long as his kids are happy, but he likes to agree with whatever my mom says.

…Hm.

Well, nothing I can do about that.

And that troublesome girl who keeps asking about my private life and any possible relationships associated with it? That's my cousin, Clarisse. She's from the Philippines, but she's going to be staying with my family here in Spain for a few months.

(She's kind of annoying, though.)

"I'm not actually sure about getting into a relationship yet, though," I quickly said. "I need to get better grades, study, you know…"

"Get a life!" Clarisse snorted. "You're so _boring_!"

"At least I'm not like Francis," I muttered.

Clarisse puffed out her cheeks. "I know that your friends are really weird, because you told me about them. But I'm going to be in the same school as you this year, so I'll be able to observe you and other shit, _putang ina_!"

"Clarisse," my mom called back. "No swearing!"

"Okay~" she replied in a sweet tone, before facing me again, her face full of scorn. "I'm not done with you yet."

"You're the one who should get a life," I protested. "I actually care about studies, and all you care about is boys, food, and _boobs_!"

Her face reddened. "T-That's…!"

"Go to sleep already," my brother João called out, walking out of his room. "You're both so loud. It's 11 PM."

"YOU go to sleep!" Clarisse retorted_. "TARANTADO! BOBO!"_

I covered my ears. "_Ay_, shut up!"

Clarisse stomped upstairs to her room, and glared at me. "No wonder you're still single. _Putang ina mo!"_

"Back at you," I muttered under my breath, as she slammed the door. She's so childish.

But I wonder…am I really that boring? Is that why I've been single, all these years?

…Come to think of it, I've never actually fallen in love with anyone, either.

Mom glanced at me, and sighed. "Leave her alone for a bit. She's 13. I'm sure you were like that at that age."

"No. I don't remember."

She laughed. "Clarisse will be okay in a bit. Just let her be."

I walked through the hall, and heard small sobs coming out of the room beside me. I knocked on the door.

"Clarisse?"

The sounds stopped, and the door creaked open.

…Wow, that was fast.

"Why are you here? _Ano ba_?" Clarisse asked, wiping away her tears.

"She told me to leave you be, but I heard you crying, so I decided to talk to you," I said, running a hand through my hair. "Um…are you okay?'

She rolled her eyes. "_Ang bobo_. Does it look like I'm okay?"

…No.

"Sorry," I quickly replied. "Should I go?"

Clarisse shook her head. "Nah, come in. I need someone to talk to. Someone who isn't one of your other siblings. They're weird." I sighed, and walked inside her room.

Ever since we were little kids, Clarisse would visit every now and then, and we kind of grew close, I guess. Though she's my little cousin, younger by two years, she constantly clung onto me, as if I were her older brother – and she even got into the habit of referring to me as 'Kuya Toni'.

But by the time she was about ten, she soon grew out of that habit, and got sassier.

…She grew taller, too. But she's still the shortest member of our family.

Ay, I miss the times when she wasn't always screaming about the little things.

After all, isn't it a good thing that I'm trying to be studious? Next year, I'll be 18, and then I'll graduate…

There's so much on my mind right now, though. I leave for Japan tomorrow, and my flight is at 2:30 AM. I guess you could say that it's a tight schedule~

"Are you listening?"

I blinked twice, and nodded. "Yeah."

Clarisse sighed. "I didn't say much, don't worry. _Hnngh_. I got rejected, okay?"

**Oh.**

"You liked someone?" I asked. Clarisse glared at me.

"A classmate from the school I used to go to, back in the Philippines. He rejected me last week, and I've been grumpier ever since."

I hugged her. "Hey, it's alright. I don't know much about love, but there was probably just something that didn't click between you and him, right?"

"Hmph. He ignored me all the time."

"Then he's an asshole," I said, squeezing her hand. "Don't sweat it, okay? I'll always be here for you, no matter how annoying you are."

Clarisse grinned. "I always make fun of the fact that you're single, yet there's something inside of me that has the tiniest bit of hope for you."

"I doubt it," I sighed. "If there's a single girl in the school who'll like me this year, she's probably a turtle."

"Aw, c'mon!" Clarisse chided. "It's not like you to be talking so negatively!"

I stood up, and shrugged. "I don't know, Clarisse. At this point, it's been so long that I've been single – my friends are beginning to suspect that I'm gay."

She roared in laughter. "Really?! Gay? _You?_"

Clarisse stopped for a moment, and glanced at me, her eyes serious. "Wait…are you?"

"Huh?"

She waved around her hands frantically. "N-Not that it's a _bad_ thing if you are, though! I actually have a few classmates who are gay, some of them are my friends…ahahaha!"

I smiled. "That's actually a good question. I don't know the answer to it, though."

Clarisse raised an eyebrow. "So you're questioning?"

"That'd be a good way to put it, yes," I said, nodding. "But I don't think about my sexuality too often, and I'm not interested in romantic relationships at the moment, either."

"You might be asexual," Clarisse said. "It means that you aren't attracted to any gender. Oh, but I'm not assuming or anything, it's just a guess…or a suggestion!"

I grinned. "Thanks, Clarisse. I'd better go – my flight is early in the morning, tomorrow. I need sleep - and _so do you!"_

"Are your siblings going to the same school as us?" Clarisse asked.

"Only a few of them. The rest are staying here with our parents, until they both decide that they want them to go, too."

"Oh. Good night, then."

I waved, and shut the door. Tomorrow's going to be a busy day.

"Clarisse, wake up. We're leaving."

My cousin sat up, and her eyes widened. Her clothes were tossed onto the ground, and she was in her underwear.

**…****Oops.**

…I can't blame her, though. It's hot.

Clarisse screamed, and dived underneath the covers. "What time is it

"It's…" I looked around for any clock or watch available. "It's early, and we have to go."

"If it's so early, then surely I can sleep for a bit more. Good night." She looked away from me, and shut her eyes.

I sighed. "If you're not going to wake up on your own, then I guess I'll just have to do it the old way, and drag you out of bed~"

My remark earned me a slap in the face, and an even angrier Clarisse.

"Fine. Get out of my way," she mumbled. "And stop staring at me. You're gross."

"Um, well, your bra strap is falling down, and I wanted to let you know, because I'm a nice person," I explained. "But if that's fine with you, then okay~"

Clarisse huffed another annoyed breath, and adjusted the strap, before walking away to get dressed.

"Are you all set?" Mom asked. "Passport?"

"I'm not a little kid," I mumbled. "But yeah, I have everything. Thanks!"

I narrowed my eyebrows together. "Why are you packing?"

"Oh, we didn't tell you—we'll be staying in a house in Tokyo for the year! So we'll be here with you the entire time~"

"Mom, W Academy is a _boarding_ school," I laughed. "I'll be in the dorms."

"_Psh!_ I know that you'll be in the dorms, but it's good knowing that you won't be too far from us. I hope you get a good roommate this year!"

I thought about it for a moment. Every year, I was always paired up with someone I know, so everything was usually okay. Things always went smoothly.

…Except for those times, when Gilbert and I were roommates. We were fifteen, and we would go door to door, pranking everyone in the different dorms. It was all good fun and games – until it got to the point where the school staff were actually at the brink of suspending us. Yikes.

Ever since then, we were never paired up by the teachers for _any_ activity whatsoever.

"_Hoyyyyyyyyy!_ We're here!"

Startled, I woke up, to see Clarisse staring at me.

"Did you sleep at all?" I asked her. Clarisse shook her head.

"I was too excited! Also, I watched a horror movie on my phone~"

I raised my eyebrows. "Oh? What was it about?"

"Demons," she said. "You know, the kind who possess you, and take your soul."

"Oh." I had never really been a big fan of horror movies, though it was always fun to watch them with my siblings on Halloween – their reactions to the jumpscare scenes were always priceless.

As for Clarisse, well…

"I couldn't watch the rest of it," Clarisse said, shuddering. "Too scary."

Yeah. She probably clicked on the movie, thinking that it'd be some sort of dystopian fantasy film or something.

"But you know," she said, grabbing her luggage, "I kinda feel bad for them."

"Them?"

Clarisse's gaze met mine. "The demons. You know, how some of them have to take a mortal's soul in order to thrive or live, and if they don't, their existence is no more. It's just not fair – for the mortal _or_ the demon."

"Well, our world **is** a cruel one," I sighed. "Don't think about it so much. They aren't real."

"So you don't believe in them? Supernatural beings, or spirits?"

I looked back at her. "I mean, I do believe in spirits, but I feel like demons are just, you know – a fairytale of some sort."

Clarisse grinned. "You're interesting. I'll have to disagree with you on this one, though – I feel like they exist, you just don't know that they do. C'mon now, we have to get off the plane. _Bilis na!"_

…Hm. Interesting.

But maybe I shouldn't sweat over it so much. Clarisse _is_ a pretty weird girl, after all.

Some may say that it's a sign that she's constantly talking about demons, but I feel like it isn't a sign of the future or anything.

It's just a phase.

**_\- Afterword –_**

**_NEW FIC! I hope you guys liked this chapter!_**

**_After my last fic 'Holiday' (published on Wattpad) hit 1k reads, I couldn't resist making a new one._**

**_This one will take on a darker theme than the last one, but there will be meme spots every now and then!_**

**_I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please look forward to the next one, which will be released very soon ~_**

**_(This fic is also published on my Wattpad, though it is unfinished. I prefer this platform, but in case you want my Wattpad, it's 'ChocoRenRen'. I know, lame name...I was about 12 or 13. But I hope you enjoy this fic!)_**


	2. Chapter 2

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"W Academy./span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"A multicultural private high school – and a boarding school, at that, too. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The school is split into two groups – the elementary section – which is from ages 5 to 15 – and the senior section, which consists of students from 16 to 18 years old./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Needless to say, it's a big school, with a spa and everything./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But I don't really like bragging about it to my family, because it has flaws, too. Just like everything else. That's just how it is, here on planet Earth, right?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"A day had passed since my family and I had arrived in Japan, and before I knew it, it was the first day of the school year./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The ceremony for the beginning of the year was about to begin, and I hadn't really spent much time trying to look spiffy. After all, it is just another day of school for me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"This other dude beside me, on the other hand, in contrast to my laid-back, average appearance, was looking quite the part. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"His straight, dark brown hair fell on the sides of his head, only just touching his ears. His bangs were over his face, though they didn't do anything whatsoever to distort his appearance. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The guy was a bit shorter than me, but he looked about my age. I wonder if he's a new student in my grade? Probably./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""The fuck are you staring at, bastard?" /span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"A voice with a thick Italian accent snapped at me, and I spun around, my thoughts shattering into pieces./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He was staring at me, a scowl on his face. "Speak up, dumbass. I didn't come here to be oogled over by some gay bastard. Why are you staring at me?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Ah, I'm sorry," I said, looking away. "I-It's nothing."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Tch. Bastard." He crossed his arms, and looked around the room. The expression on his face said it all – he was waiting for the ceremony to be over./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Well, aren't we all?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Man, that was tough. Not awesome at all."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"My friend Gilbert let out a big sigh, stretching his arms. "So, 'Tonio, what's up? Got a girlfriend yet?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Why is that em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"always/em the first question people ask?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Hey! Leave him be. Love cannot be rushed, em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"mon ami/em," a voice called out behind us. I grinned. Typical Francis, always talking about love and such./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Francis is a romantic dude – and when I say romantic, I mean em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"romantic./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"We've known each other since we were kids – way before we even knew that this academy even existed. Why? Because our moms knew each other. Cliché, I know./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He's taller than me, a man of pure French descent, and he's hardly unrecognizable, with that hair of his. We always dare him to cut his blonde, luscious, shoulder-length hair, but he's always quick to deny any requests that have anything to do with him cutting his hair./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Oh, but he's still single, and always has been, despite his handsome looks./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"As for Gilbert – he and Francis are practically polar opposites. While Francis is romantic, handsome, and refined (and maybe even a little perverted) , Gilbert is a loud albino German who's always screaming about how awesome he thinks he is./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Together, we are the em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Bad Touch Trio/em – the three dudes who always get into some sort of trouble, every year./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"And every year, we always do something stupid./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"And every year, it only gets stupider./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"And that's why I love it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"What about me? Well, Francis and Gilbert always describe me as 'oblivious', but we'll get back to that later./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""What? Some dude started cursing at you for just taking a glance at him?" Gilbert asked. "Christ, he sounds like an em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"asshole/em."br /"I'd like to see you end up with someone like him," Francis chuckled. "That would be interesting."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Gilbert wrinkled his nose, and cackled. "'Tonio? Dating a dude? em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Kesesesesesesesesesese/em!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"There he goes again with his weird laughs./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""For all we know, he could actually be gay," Francis laughed. "You never know – people like him are hard to read. But I'm not going to judge him if he does actually end up as gay." He cast a glance towards me, and winked. "After all, we are all human."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I shrugged. "I don't know, guys. I mean, everyone has their bad days. Maybe he's just feeling down about something?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""And you've never seen him before, right?" Gilbert asked. "He's probably new."br /Francis shuddered. "em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Hon!/em I hope he isn't a thug. From the way you described his words, I'm not getting a good feeling about him."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Sit down."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"We all sat down, and faced our teacher, a young, petite woman, about Clarisse's height./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""My name is Ren Hirasawa. I am familiar with the fact that the majority of you are foreigners, therefore you may call me Ms. Ren. Welcome to the eleventh grade, students."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The room erupted with cheers, grunts of boredom, and sighs. I grinned. A new year, a new beginning. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"It sounds cliché, but it really is exciting, and I'm looking forward to it~/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""After the other two classes of our grade and the first-years arrive, we will begin introductions," our teacher continued. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Hm? The first-years?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Well. This is going to be interesting./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"After we had all made our introductions, Ms. Ren began the explanation on why our classes and grades were combined./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""The first and second years will be working on several projects together throughout this year and the next. The first-years are all freshmen in high school, and so I expect the second-years to guide their fellow underclassmen throughout this journey that is senior high school."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Snickers could be heard around the room, and I eagerly sat, waiting for more information./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Second-years, you will each be paired up with someone from the grade below you," she said. "Please help them out if they are unsure of something. Thank you. You will be assigned to your partner according to the number you receive in the papers that are about to be passed across the room. Cheers to the new year!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Well! This will be interesting!/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Are you number 365?" /span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I looked up from my sheet of paper, and nodded. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"As soon as the guy and I made eye contact, we instantly broke into realization./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The boy twitched. "It's strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"you/strong. Having fun staring me up and down, bastard? What are you, a fucking pervert?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"This…this is em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"not/em how I wanted to start the new school year./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Um." I awkwardly shifted around. "Uh, I'm Antonio! Nice to meet you!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Cool," he said through gritted teeth. "My name is Lovino, and I already hate you, you bastard. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Ciao/em."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He walked away to talk with some girls, and I sighed. This year's going to be a long one./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"For some reason, ever since that first meeting, I couldn't put my finger on why he was so pissed at me. Did I do something wrong?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I mean, sure, I got lost in my thoughts and started observing him, like I do with a lot of people, but em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"still!/em I don't mean him any harm, and I don't think I'm a creep, either!/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I don't get people like you," Lovino sighed. "How can one person be so fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"happy/em?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Well, maybe you should try smiling more," I joked. "Maybe then you'd even get more popular~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino cast an ice-cold glare towards me. "I don't need more fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"popularity/em. I get the girls, you strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"don't/strong. I can actually keep my hair down, and you can't. I'm only a fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"first-year/em, but I em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"already/em have girls crushing on me. And you? You're still single. Sure, I am too. But let me tell you this, strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"mark my words/strong – you will em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"never/em get anyone, and if you do, it's probably a fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"potato/em or something, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Yikes. Harsh./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Hey, don't be like that," I chided. "I'm sure that with time and patience, we can get along and become good em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"amigos/em~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He looked at me. "Spanish?" I nodded./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""God, you're so fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"annoying/em," Lovino mumbled. "You know what, with the amount of girls that I'm charming at the moment, I could literally get a girlfriend within five seconds."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I chuckled. "I'm sure you could."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He moved in closer, his hazel eyes piercing mine. "I'm not fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"kidding/em with you here, bastard. It only takes three words – strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"I love you/em/strong – and then boom – I've got myself a girlfriend."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""So why don't you just do it now? Anyone on your mind in particular? It should be easy for you, since every girl has eyes for you~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Because I don't love em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"any/em of them," Lovino snapped. "Most of them are annoying squealing bitches. But of course, I'm not going to tell them that. It's all about keeping my image."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Wow, this guy is a em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"puta./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""You see, I like pretty girls," he continued, "but I look out for good qualities inside of them, too. A chick can have a pretty exterior, but can also be rotten to the fucking strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"core/strong on the inside."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I nodded. He's right./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""You don't get how love works, do you?" Lovino asked. "Nobody's ever asked you out?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Uhm—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Speak up, bastard."/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I sighed. "No."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino smirked. "Just as I thought. Good luck finding a girl, bastard. You're gonna need it, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"…This guy…!/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Life isn't all about love, though," I pointed out. "Studies and a good personality build up what makes you you. They're your foundation. Love is just an extra thing, and that's why I'm not particularly interested in it at the moment."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He twitched, and for a moment, I could see the hurt in his eyes from the last few words that escaped from my mouth. "You fucking disgust me, you bastard. I get that we have to be partners for these so-called 'projects', but otherwise, I want you to stay the fuck out of my life. We've only just met, and you're em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"already/em pissing me off."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Lovino, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say all of th—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Enough. I'm going, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"…Aw, it's only the first day, and I already ruined my chance in making friends with one of the first-years…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"No matter, though! There are still plenty of other people around~/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But something in the back of my head told me that I had to fix things with this Lovino dude – and fast./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Before we knew it, it was already our lunch break. I bolted out of the classroom, grabbed my lunch, and looked around for Francis and Gilbert, among the large mob of students passing by./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I ran up to our usual spot – the school rooftop./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"It's kind of a cliché thing in Japan, eating lunch with your friends on the rooftop. Some even confess to their love there, too. But I just like it there./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Strangely enough, at our school, almost nobody comes to the roof, only my friends and I./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"So it was definitely a surprise to see Lovino sitting there, alone./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"…I wonder what happened to the girls swarming around him earlier./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The usual grumpy expression was on his face, though it was clear that he had been – em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"or still is/em, crying./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I walked over, and sat next to him. "Hey~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He wiped away his tears, and looked up. A scowl spread across his face. "I thought I told you to get the fuck away from me unless we need to actually talk, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""But we em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"do /emneed to talk," I said. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""For educational purposes only!"/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" he barked. Lovino looked away./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I sighed, and put a hand on his shoulder./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I know you already don't like me, but I just wanted to make sure that you're okay," I calmly said. "Why are you crying?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Does it fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"matter/em?" he retorted, his voice shaky. "You barely em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"know/em me, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Of course it matters!" I said. "Whether I know someone or not, I always want to make sure that they're alright~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino frowned. "Does it em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"look/em like I'm fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"okay/em?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Ah. Sorry."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He sighed. "You really are bad at getting people's feelings, aren't you? You're oblivious."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I winced at his words, knowing that it was the truth – that I was oblivious. "Yeah."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I just…" Lovino hesitated, and sucked in a breath. "Can you keep a secret?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Did you hear me, or not? I asked if you can keep a fucking secret, you bastard. I don't need people talking about this."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Yeah, sure," I said, nodding./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I ran away from home, and my parents didn't sign me up for this school. And now I feel scared and threatened about the fact that my family might be looking for me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"…Wow./span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Tears streamed down his face. "I live alone now in this measly apartment just a few blocks away from this shitshack of a school, but I just don't want them to find me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Why not?" I asked, concerned. "They're your family."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""It's…complicated, dammit. You wouldn't fucking get it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""It's alright," I said. "I won't force you to tell me, if it's a touchy topic for you. But I'll be here for you if you need me, alright?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He wiped away his tears, and looked at me. "You're so weird. And I don't think that I'll ever need anything from you, stupid."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Hm. Just as I thought./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""But…." He moved in closer to me. "I'll consider it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Consider what?" I asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""If we can be acquaintances or something, dammit." /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I laughed, and patted his shoulder. "We can become even more, if you want!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"A blush spread across Lovino's face. "strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"W-What the fuck?!/em/strong We've only just met! A-And you're a em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"guy!/em I'm em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"straight, /emdammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Hm? But I thought that we could get to be really good friends," I said, confused by his reaction. Lovino snapped in realization, and let out a sigh./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…Fine. Maybe."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Heyyyyy!"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I looked back, and Clarisse was waving, holding a basket in her right hand. She sat beside us, a big smile on her face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Hey! You made a friend!" Clarisse said, and Lovino twitched, scowling again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino raised his eyebrows. "Who's the chick?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Oh, her?" I asked, pointing at Clarisse. "This is my cousin from the Philippines, Clarisse. She's in the ninth grade."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He took her hand in his, and brought it to his lips, gently kissing it. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;""Ciao."/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Clarisse inched away from him. "Ew. What are you, a fuckboy?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"…Ay…./span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""What?" Lovino asked, obviously in confusion./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Why did you make friends with someone like em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"him/em?" Clarisse snorted. "Was it our conversation two days ago? Did you finally decide that it was time for you to get a date?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Huhhhh?!"/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" Lovino asked. I sighed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""It's a long story. We're partners for the project thing," I said. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino cast a glance towards Clarisse. "I would've preferred to have been paired up with someone like you, rather than that bastard cousin of yours, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Clarisse grimaced. "Ew, he's em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"mean/em, too! I already feel bad for you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He looked at me. "Why does she already hate me?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Uhm, let's change the topic," I quickly said. "Do you guys like turtles?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Clarisse sighed, and looked at Lovino. "Never mind. I feel sorry for strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"you/em/strong."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Damn right," he muttered./span/p 


	3. Chapter 3

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Well, we got assigned to our roommates today, and of all people to be paired up with, I got paired up with em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Lovino./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"For some reason, he keeps staring at his watch. I wonder if he's just waiting for school to be over…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I glanced at his watch. "That's an interesting watch you've got there."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He doubled over. "W-What the em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"fuck?!/em Don't just sneak up behind me like that, dammit! It's creepy!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Man, he sure curses a lot./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""666,"/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" I read out, looking at the top number. "Where did you get this?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I-It's from a book series I like," he quickly said. "Why are you still in your uniform? We're already in the fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"dorm/em, stupid."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Ah, yeah. That's right. Thanks for reminding me, ahaha~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino scowled. "Dumbass."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He tossed his uniform to the side, and glared at me. "Stare at me all you want, like the gay asshole you are, but where the fuck is my luggage? Did you hide it?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""H-Huh? Why would I—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Oh./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I picked up a strand of long blonde hair on my bed, and sighed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I should've known./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Francis and Gilbert./span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"They've been planning this all along, haven't they? This is rigged./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Well? Where'd you hide it, fuckwad?" Lovino demanded./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I-I didn't—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino gripped onto my shoulders, and we fell to the ground./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I blinked. He was on top of me, giving me a view of his tomato-printed boxer shorts./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Where'd you hide it, you bastard?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"A note was taped to the wall: strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Find the bag./em/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Ah. I knew it. It is them./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I spotted the red luggage underneath my bed, and pointed at it. Lovino released his hands from me, and ran over to it, and caught sight of another note taped to his bag./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"'Gotcha. – BTT.'/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He tore the note from the bag, crushed it into a ball, and threw it over my head. I sighed. He's pissed at me again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""It wasn't you, was it?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I glanced at him. "Hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I'm not dumb, Antonio. It was those assholes. Your friends."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Oh." I nodded. "Yeah."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I figured you wouldn't do something like that," Lovino sighed. "You're probably still creepy in a way, but you're not a pervert, that's for sure. But that doesn't mean you aren't a bastard."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I smiled. "Is that so?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He blushed. "It's just been a while since someone's cared about me like that. Years, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Aww./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Before I could stop myself, I threw my arms around Lovino, giving him a hug./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""W-Wh—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I inched away. "Oops. Sorry."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino shook his head. "Y-You're so em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"weird/em, dammit. So, strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"so/strong, fucking weird."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""But that's what makes me stand out, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Not necessarily in a good way, but you're different from the other bastards, that's for sure," he mumbled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"After slinging on a shirt, Lovino looked at me. "If you can go without being a creepy bastard for a month, maybe I'll consider you as a friend. That is, if I can trust you. But if you turn out to be like those asshole pervert friends of yours, I'm done. Deal?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I could've sworn I saw him smile./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I nodded. "Deal."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Why are you staring at me again?" he asked. "I thought I told you that you can't be creepy."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""You look better when you're smiling, you know," I said. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino snorted, and pulled out some pants from his bag, and slapped my shoulder with them, before putting them on. "And all the girls in your grade and mine have the same opinion as you, dammit. Nothing new."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""No, I mean when you're em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"genuinely/em smiling," I said. "It's different from the charming smiles you make towards those girls. It suits you more."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""What, are you trying to fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"flirt/em with me now? I told you, I'm straight."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""And I don't know whether I'm straight or not, but I think that you're cute when you smile."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"A look of disbelief spread across his face. "Cute? I'm a fucking strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"guy/strong, Antonio. I can't be cute."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I think anyone can be cute in their own way," I said. "It's just my opinion."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He went silent and looked away. "You have some fucking weird opinions, then."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Don't we all?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino grimaced. "Hell yeah. I honestly don't get most men. When it comes to women, they're all about who has the biggest boobs and shit like that. I don't get it. They're just fucking BREASTS. What's the point? Clarisse has none, and I already thought that she was pretty, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I nodded. "True. But the same goes for girls, too. They're all about who has the biggest dick and—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino let out a snort of laughter. "Alright, we're changing this fucking topic, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Amazed, I raised my eyebrows. "Did you just laugh?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""No. C'mon, let's talk about something else already, you bastard. I'm listening to you – you should be grateful."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"This guy is different from most guys I've ever talked with./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Do you like horror movies?" I asked. "I brought a few from home. Pirated."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He shrugged. "They're alright. Cheap jumpscares are fucking dumb, though."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I held up a DVD. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;""Annabelle?"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino nodded in approval. "Seen it. It's good."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""The Human Centipede?"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He grimaced. "Gross."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Yeah," I agreed. "Do you like movies about demons?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I've got a few from here, about Hell and all that," I continued. "See?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Lovino?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Hey, are you all right?" I asked, moving in closer to him. He blinked, and sighed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""It's nothing. I'm not really in the mood for horror shit right now, I guess. Maybe we should watch another movie, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I nodded. "Understandable. Clarisse asked me to bring these, though I'm not really a fan of them."br /His eyes hovered over to the em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Mean Girls/em DVD, and he looked up at me. I /"I didn't know you were a fan of chick flicks, but let's go with that, then~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino rolled his eyes. "I'm not a fan of chick flicks, dumbass. But em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Mean Girls/em is a fucking classic."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""It is," I agreed. "Let's watch, then."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He shivered. "It's cold."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""It's fine," I assured him. "I brought blankets and stuff~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Damn. Okay, then."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""DUMBASS! NOT OVER THERE! Arrrrrgh, why are the people in movies such MORONS?!"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I laughed. He really is getting into this, isn't he?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"We've only known each other for a day, and he already makes me laugh./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino's eyes glittered at the snacks I placed on the ground. "Holy shit, where did you get all of these?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Clarisse," I laughed. "She always gives me extra."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""She's a fucking goddess," Lovino said. "You even brought tomatoes. Fuck, I'm hard."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I snorted. "They're em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"tomatoes/em. You're getting a hard-on because of those?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Fuck, you're so oblivious. I didn't mean that em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"literally."/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Good, because if you were, I would be concerned for your sanity."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"A giggle escaped from his lips, just for a split second. Realizing what just happened, Lovino put down his wine glass, and sighed. "Fuck. I'm getting tipsy, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""You aren't even of legal age to drink," I pointed out./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Neither are you!" Lovino retorted. "But as long as we don't go overboard, it's alright, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The credits started to roll, and before I knew it, Lovino was asleep on my shoulder. I sighed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Is this what it's like to have an actual best friend – someone who isn't just the casual mates who you joke around with? Someone who you want to be beside and look out for, all the time?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"As I got lost in my thoughts yet again, I closed my eyes, and fell asleep./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Mm…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Good morning~" I said, looking over at Lovino. "Let's get dressed already~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""You don't have to sound so optimistic, dammit," he grunted in response. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I gave a shrug. "I'm trying to be more positive this year."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""You em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"weren't/em positive last year? I've only just met you, but that's already pretty fucking unbelievable, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I mean, I em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"was/em," I said, "but there were the occasional ups and downs, you know."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino looked at me. "This has been on my mind for a while, but how many people our age do you think have already lost their virginity?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Hm? In this day and age, quite a few, most likely," I said. "But we're still young, so we have plenty of time. We're only turning seventeen this year."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Sixteen for me," Lovino corrected. "I actually don't know if I'll ever have sex in my life, really. I mean, it's not that I never want to, but I just feel like it's not really a fucking huge thing for me now."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Like I said, we're still young, so we shouldn't sweat it," I said. "You can think about those things when you're legal."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino snorted. "You sound like a em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"mother/em, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Ahahaha, well…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I just kind of want to know what it feels like," Lovino said. "I wasn't able to talk about this with my brother, because he's only turning fifteen this year, and he's so fucking innocent, and even though he's a moron, I wouldn't want to kill that innocence of his. I'd feel fucking guilty, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Talk to Francis about it!" I suggested. "He's really good at talk about sex and love, because he's French~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""That's stereotypical of French people," he snorted. "And I don't want to talk to that perverted bastard – he's so fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"creepy/em!" Lovino shuddered. "That's why I want your advice on it, because you're literally the only fucking guy who's talked to me so far, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I smiled. "Francis told me about touching yourself, and apparently that's supposed to work…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino made a face. "Ew. No thanks, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Apparently it's not as gross as you'd think. I heard from him that it's actually a good way to explore your body and stuff, without the possibility of getting STDs!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Eww. I've heard enough. Fuck, that's gross." He shuddered. "Anyway, we should probably get ready for school, instead of sitting here like a pair of fucking whores, talking about sex."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Hm," I said. "Good idea."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Our conversation went for longer than I thought it would. We were off to class, and the debate about love was still going strong./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"But let's say that a girl with both pretty looks and a good personality confesses to you. Would you accept?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino thought for a moment. "Probably. It depends."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I grinned. "I usually like going to school early, because it means that I get time to hang out with my friends before school starts."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He shrugged. "I honestly don't care what time I arrive, as long as I'm not an entire fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"hour/em late, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Veeee~ Hey, em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"fratello/em, who's that boy with you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"We looked behind us, to see a guy just about an inch taller than Lovino. He had similar features to him, too, though he looked like a guy with more of a soft personality, in contrast to Lovino./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino sighed. "Antonio, this is my dumbass little brother, my em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"fratellino/em, Feliciano."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Feliciano had brown hair, much like his brother, though it was more of an auburn shade of brown. His big amber eyes were full of innocence, much like Lovino had said, and his cheeks were tinted with a light shade of pink./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Oh, you're Antonio?" Feliciano asked. "I know it's only been a day, but my brother already told me about you~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Aww. He did?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino snorted. "Yeah, it was at the beginning of the day. I shot him a text saying that I was stuck with some oblivious dumbass prick for a partner."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I grinned. Just as I thought./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Feliciano smiled. "But you guys are friends now, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""No," Lovino muttered under his breath./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Si~"/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" I said, nodding. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Yay, that's good!" Feliciano said, beaming. "I'm glad my brother managed to get a friend in only just one day~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""We're not really friends," Lovino quickly said. "We've only just met, for fuck's sake, Feliciano."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""We're also roommates," I added. "We had fun last night~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Feliciano's face reddened. strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;""O-Oh."/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Not em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"that/em kind of fun!" Lovino groaned. "Christ, Antonio, you know that my brother is a dumbass! Don't give him ideas!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I grinned. "You're already starting to call me by my name, aren't you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Yeah, because I can't just call you em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'Bastard'/em every fucking moment of my life, you know. Especially when I have to read out your span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"name during class presentations. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'Bastard span style="background: white;"Fernández Carriedo.' /span/emspan style="background: white;"Hmm…"/span/span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Yeah, please don't," I said, wincing./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I could've sworn I heard Lovino giggle, and I smiled to myself, as he returned to his usual scowl./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Anyway, we have class now, so let's go, dammit," Lovino mumbled, tugging onto my shirt sleeve./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I twitched at the sudden touch. "Ah."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Lovino glared at me. "What? Let's go, moron." His expression was irritated, though a blush had spread across his face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Ah, okay! Sorry~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Feliciano waved. "See you soon~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Jeez, you don't have to be so em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"angry/em all the time!" I chided, as the bell rang, a signal to us that it was our lunch break. Lovino frowned./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""That's because you're always being so stupid."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I took out a small notebook, and grinned at him. "Lovino, when's your birthday? I wanna write it down~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Huh?" He looked at me. "The 17th of March…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Okay, thanks~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Wait." Lovino's eyes shifted towards me again. "Why?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I raised my eyebrows. "I always write down my friends' birthdays, and everyone else I know, so that I won't forget. Ah, that's right. You don't consider me a friend yet, but I think that with a little more time, we—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Yeah, yeah, I get it, dammit," he scoffed. "Whatever. Just don't fucking stalk me or anything. If you ask for my home address next, I will fucking smite you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Yikes," I laughed. "Also, during our first encounter at the opening ceremony, I actually thought that you were in my grade. It never occurred to me that you're a freshman, ahaha! I thought that you were older!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Lovino went silent for a bit, then shrugged. "Eh. Probably because I look more charming than most guys my age. Those bastards don't stand a chance against me, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"That's…not what I meant./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I grinned. "So, let me guess…you're Italian?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Duh. I'm not some weird Spaniard like you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Ah. He's getting all red again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I wonder why he always blushes around people, typically when he's angry?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Lovino exhaled. "When I was still very small, I used to live with my brother in Italy, with our parents. They died in an accident, and so my grandfather took us in."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Oh…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""That's awful," I said. "No wonder you don't talk much about your family."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Whatever. My family isn't fond of me, anyway."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Oh?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Another few seconds of silence followed, then he finally let out a little sigh./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""If I ever feel like talking about it, I'll tell you more," Lovino muttered./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I put my arm around him, making him tense./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Hey, if you ever want to talk, I'm here, okay? But if you don't feel like it, that's fine, too."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Hmph," he said. "Fine. But let's go somewhere else to eat, other than the rooftop."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I raised my eyebrows. "Oh?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""A tree?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Lovino had led me to a large tree, its large leaves cowering over us, with a beautiful shade of green./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Yeah. I don't know why, but for some reason, ever since I was a kid, I've always liked eating underneath a tree."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Oh." I smiled. "That's actually pretty cool. But what if a bird decides to…em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"you know/em?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Lovino wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Gross. If a bird decides to take a fucking shit on me, I swear…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Ahaha, that's why you should check every often!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"He let out a sigh. "But you know, the trees back where I used to live aren't as beautiful as this one, dammit. Thank god I don't live in that shitstorm of a world anymo—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Lovino let out a small gasp, and covered his mouth with one hand, as if he had misspoken about something – something that wasn't supposed to have been heard by me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Lovino? Something wrong?" I asked, concerned./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""N-Nothing." He cleared his throat. "A-Anyway, about trees…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""You were saying that the ones back where you used to live aren't as nice as here," I said, continuing his trail of words, which had been cut short earlier. "You used to live in Italy, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""N-No, there was somewhere else before that…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Oh?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""But my family is always jumping all over the goddamn place, so let's just change the fucking subject already, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I nodded. "Oh. Okay. Hey, want some food? Clarisse gave me some~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Again?" Lovino asked. "Hm. Thanks."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I grinned. "All the guys in my class were wrong about you, after all."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Mm?" He picked up the small tomatoes with his fork, placing them inside his lunchbox./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""They said that I shouldn't try to hang out with you, because apparently you're rude or something," I said./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Well, yeah."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""And they said that I should be careful around you, because you might be capable of beating me up or something, because you're angry all the time!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Lovino twitched. "Yeah, about that…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""But it's only the second day of school today, and you're not as bad as I thought!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""A-Antonio—" he stuttered./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Truthfully, I'm actually beginning to like you!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Lovino raised his eyebrows. "Wait, what?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I grinned sheepishly. "No homo, though."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Oh. Thank god." He put a hand to his forehead. "Because I'm straight, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"This guy really does get flustered easily, doesn't he?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"To be honest, it's actually pretty funny./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""LOVIIIIINNOOOOOOOOOOOOO"/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Lovino twitched at the sound of a loud guy's voice, and the peaceful (yet awkward) mood shattered./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""HEEEEEYYYYY!"/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;" At the speed of light, a tall dude ran over, and sat beneath the tree with us. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"The dude had blond hair, and red-rimmed glasses, complementing his sky-blue eyes. In his hand was a McDonald's burger./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Christ, you can't just keep doing that, dammit!" Lovino yelled, scowling. He turned to me. "Uh, Antonio, this is my classmate, Alfred. He's an annoying and loud American, so just be aware of that. Fucking hell."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Ah," I said. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;""American."/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Lovino rolled his eyes. "I gotta admit, he's pretty fucking fit for an American, and that's saying a lot, dammit. I em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"totally/em can never get enough of those fat American tourists running all over Italy. They're em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"totally/em not annoying assholes."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Alfred snorted in laughter, and pieces of his burger hit and stuck to the tree, causing Lovino to grimace in disgust. "Is Lovino your boyfriend? I gotta say, you're a pretty lucky man. He's such a mood, it's freaking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"hilarious/em!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Ah, we're just acquaintances," I laughed. "Lovino doesn't even want to consider me as a friend yet."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Because you're stupid," Lovino added, eyeing Alfred, who was taking out the vegetables out of his burger. "Hey, moron. Eat your fucking greens. What are you, a fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"kid/em?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Alfred stuffed a piece of lettuce into his mouth. "What are you, my freaking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"mom/em?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""I already feel bad for your em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"real/em mom, dammit! Eat you fucking tomatoes, too!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""But I want to eat the MEAT!"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""JUST EAT THE FUCKING TOMATOES!"/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Ah…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Is this a good time to leave…?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Okay, okay! I'll eat the damn tomatoes!" Alfred screeched. "Jeez, man!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Lovino folded his arms, like a disappointed yet satisfied mother watching her stubborn child eat his vegetables. "Good."/span/p 


	4. Chapter 4

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Huh? You want to see my house? But…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Ah, I was wondering if you have a temporary one here in Japan at the moment," I said. "You know."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Oh." Lovino shrugged. "Yeah, a small apartment. Why?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""I just wanted to see it," I replied. "And maybe we could study, too. Unless you want to do it at my house, but it's crowded with my parents, cousin, and siblings."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Lovino cringed. "No thanks. You can come over to mine after school, dammit. I honestly don't give a shit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I grinned. "Thanks."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Alright, then, I'll meet you there at 4:30 PM. Here's the address, don't lose it, or else I will fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"kill /emyou."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"The door creaked open./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Hm?"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I held onto the basket of food that Clarisse had packed for me. "Lovino, it's Antonio."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Oh. Come in, then, bastard."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"He's good at welcoming people, too./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I walked into the apartment, and raised my eyebrows. "It's so clean…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Yeah, I only just got here a few days ago, dammit," Lovino sighed. I pointed to his face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""You wear glasses?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Yeah, when I read and do homework and shit," he replied./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Ah…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"He looks kinda cute…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Or maybe I'm just not used to seeing him wear glasses./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Oh, well. We've only known each other for a month, after all./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I can't believe it's already been a month since school started, though. Time flies./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Oh, but I'm just glad that it's Friday~/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""A-Anyway, my room's here," Lovino said, pointing to a door beside him. "We can study in there."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I grinned. "Yay~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Stop acting like a fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"child/em. Aren't you supposed to be seventeen or something?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Not yet. My birthday is in February…the 12th."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Still. Whatever, come in already, bastard!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"POV (Lovino)/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""It never occurred to me that you're a freshman. I thought that you were older!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"His words from the other day have been sticking in my head for a while, and I don't get why./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"And whenever I'm alone, his voice and face are all that pops into my brain./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"…Dammit!/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"What the fuck?!/span/em/strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;" We've only just met a few days ago! We can't be friends em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"now!/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"The weird thing is, I'm already friends with Alfred, but I don't feel the same way around him. Whenever I'm with Antonio, I feel kind of…I don't know…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"…Happy?/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"N-No, that's not it, dammit…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"…Relaxed? Not angry?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Whatever it is, he feels a little like family, but different to the family back home./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Back in…my home./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I shuddered at the thought, and brushed it away./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"It's probably because he's the first person other than my brother who genuinely accepts and cares about me. I've only known him for a little while, but I can feel that his kindness is real, unlike the kindness that of my relatives back at home./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"…Stupid bastards didn't realise that their five-year-old relative was in the room right next to them, and that the door was wide open./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"And my grandfather? Hell, I don't even know what he thinks of me. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"It's always Feliciano this, Feliciano that./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"It makes me cry every time I think about it. I still remember slamming and locking the door behind me, bursting into sobs, alone in my room./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"And Feliciano was the only one who knew that something was wrong, dammit. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"So I let him in, and I cried while explaining to him what happened. I remember my tiny sobs and hiccups, as my little brother listened to me, hugging me and telling me that everything was going to be okay./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I never did anything right, either. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"So when my brother came up with the idea of running away from home, I obliged, and we left the place, with no trace, nor evidence of our departure from our home, our world./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Because we had enough of the world we lived in./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Though Earth is flawed, it is nothing compared to our world./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Because we lived in a world that was unlike any other./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"A world that definitely wasn't meant for humans, or half-bloods, for that matter./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"So it surprises me that after thirteen years, someone actually cares about me – someone other than my brother./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""I thought you were older~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Until now, his words still continue to flow through the endless river of thoughts in my mind./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"You thought that I was older? Well, I thought I was em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"straight./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"…W-Wait, what?/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"…../span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"….WHAT THE FUCK?!/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"S-Snap out of it, Lovino! You're definitely still straight, and there's nothing attractive whatsoever about this strange Spaniard in front of you. You are straight. You flirt with cute girls. YOU ARE strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"STRAIGHT./strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Lovino? You look like you're in a daze or something. Are you okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I nodded. "I-I'm fine…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""We've been studying for a while already," he said. "We can rest for a bit, if you want. It's not good to overwork~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Yeah, yeah, sure," I muttered. "That'd be good, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Are you sure you're alright?" Antonio asked. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Sure. Why would you think that there's something wrong, dumbass?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Because sometimes when I find you and I want to talk, you look like you've been crying."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Shit. He noticed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"He sighed. I pointed to the bed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""You can lie down over there. I'll just sit beside you and read or something. You'd better not fucking kick me in your sleep, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Oh, really?" He grinned. "Thanks, Lovi~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I twitched. Lovi?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Oh, I thought I'd give you a nickname, even though you don't want to be friends with me yet. We're getting to know each other, so I felt like it would be alright. If you don't like it, I'll stop—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""No, it's fine," I said. "But I'm not calling you anything other than 'Bastard', 'Dumbass', and 'Antonio'. No complaints."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Okay, sure! Take your time~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""And yeah, I'm fine with calling you my friend," I mumbled quietly./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Sorry?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""I fucking hate to admit it because you're a dumbass, but yeah, we're friends," I quickly said. "Y-You're actually the first best friend I've ever had, dammit. Probably even my first actual friend. Nobody wanted to hang out with me when I was a kid."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""That's sad," Antonio said. He broke into a grin. "But at least we're friends now~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Yeah," I said./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""You're still not going to smile, though, right? Am I ever going to get you to smile?"br /"Not a fucking chance," I muttered. "Now shut up and let me read."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Antonio stretched his arms, exhaled, and shut his eyes, a smile curling onto his lips./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Fuck…he almost looks cute, dammit./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Almost./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Almost…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Almost?/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Time passed, and I sighed. "Antonio, we have to get back to the dorms already. We'll get in trouble, dammit—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I heard a snore rise from beside me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Fuck!/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;" He's sleeping./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"He…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"He looks em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"cute./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I blushed furiously. No. I can't do this. I can't fall in love with him. He's a em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"guy./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I can't like him. I can't love him. My family wouldn't approve./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I can't touch him. I can't be any more than friends with him. I can't let myself love him. It's only been a month since we met. And he's male, and em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"I'm/em male. I em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"can't/em let this happen. It isn't right./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Yet I blush every time he calls my name./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Yet I have to stop myself from smiling whenever he smiles at me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Yet it feels like my dark life lights up whenever he's around, and the dreaded past and future of my life don't matter anymore./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Yet I let myself cry when it's just the two of us./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Yet my heart is somewhat em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"aching/em for him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"And I can do nothing about it – I can't stop these weird developing feelings I have for him, even if this is my soul, my heart./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"..I em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"love/em him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Oh, god./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Tears spilled from my eyes, as I thought for a while about how I truly felt about him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Should I tell him? He's definitely a trustworthy person, dammit./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"But it's embarrassing./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"And what if heem style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;" is/em straight, after all?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"And shouldn'tem style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;" I/em be straight? I'm pretty sure I've never felt this way around a single guy in my life./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"But I've never really felt like this around anyone before, right?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"We haven't even gone out yet./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"You know, like to see a horror movie or something. A friend date./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Probably because I've been too embarrassed to ask./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Or maybe he's too fucking oblivious./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Or maybe it's because of the amount of homework and assignments we're getting. This is high school, after all./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"But I still love him, don't I?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"And I want him to love me back./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I laid next to him, and crawled over him, so that I was positioned on top of him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I stopped for a moment./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Don't, Lovino./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"You haven't even told him about how you feel yet. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"It's been over a month./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"But he's dense as fuck, and he might reject you./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I leaned in closer, my face almost touching his./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Don't, Lovino, I thought./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"You're still a virgin./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"You're in high school./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"You haven't even turned sixteen yet./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Kissing is too kinky for a virgin in his second year of high school./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Oh, that's right./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Glasses./span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I slipped the glasses off of my face, and placed them on top of the nearby desk./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"(What? If the glasses fell on his face while I'm kissing him, I'm fucking dead, dammit. He'll wake up, and then ask why I was kissing him, and em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"ohhhhhhh godddddddddd/em)/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"…I'm really going to do it, huh?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"…I'm going to do it?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"…./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"…I'm going to do it…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I'm going to do it./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Hoo boy/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;". Lovino Romano Vargas, you are one sassy, stubborn, dumbass bastard./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"As I abandoned my train of thought, I ignored every thought stopping me from loving him, and I pressed my lips against his, planting a tiny kiss on his lips./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Oh./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"His lips are so soft…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I blushed, and quickly scrambled back to my previous area, my breaths heavy./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Oh my god./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Oh, em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"my fucking god/em, I really did it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"kissed/em him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"W-Well, it was really just a tiny one, but still!/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"…Fuck./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Fuck./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I think I'm going to fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"faint./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"POV (Antonio)/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"As I woke up, a soft sensation lingered on my lips. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Soft and not unwelcome, yet strange and unfamiliar./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Ah, well. I did have a weird dream just then. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I remember being on top of a tower…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"…And then there was someone, and I loved them very much, in a romantic way./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Someone of royalty./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"A princess, perhaps./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"And we kissed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Weird dream, but I can't say I didn't like it. It was interesting. There was something magical about it. Like a fairy tale./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I looked over to Lovino, who was sighing again. (Man, that dude sure does sigh a lot!) /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"His face had tear stains, his cheeks a shade of pink./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Oh, dear./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Lovino, is there something wrong?" I asked. "You can tell me if there's something bothering you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"No reply./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I put my hand over his. "Lovi?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Hey, Valentine's Day is coming up tomorrow, dammit. I'm going off to give some chocolates to a few cute girls. Wanna come?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I grinned. "Of course!"br /"Cool," Lovino said. "Just don't freak them out. I don't need them crying that a creepy dude was commenting on their fucking ear shape or anything."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"What came next was my laughter. "Lovi, em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"of course/em I wouldn't comment on their ear shape! That's ridiculous."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Hm? Sounds like something you would do. I trust that you know near to nothing about girls?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Oh./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I do remember that they're always at their worst during the time of their periods, which usually lasts a week or less. Clarisse is a em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"nightmare/em whenever she's on her period. She becomes ten times scarier than when she isn't on it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Hnnngh. Flashback to when she had her period for the first time…that was em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"not/em a good time./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"What? How was I supposed to know how periods work? I fell asleep during sex ed, okay?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Periods?" I said, tapping my forehead with my index finger. Lovino wrinkled his nose./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Mention that to a girl, and she'll report you to the fucking police, or worse – her friends," he said. "Periods are a big strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"no/em/strong topic with guys."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Then we'll need a codeword whenever I rant about Clarisse's behaviour whenever she's on hers," I said. "What about…tomato?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Moving onnnnnnn!"/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;" Lovino said, inhaling./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I grinned. "Sorry."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Lovino raised his eyebrows. "Yesterday was your birthday, wasn't it? The 12th of February?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Yeah. Why?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"He sighed. "I forgot. Sorry. Uhh, happy belated fucking birthday, you bastard."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Aww. How cute!/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""Thank you~" I threw my arms around him, making him jolt in surprise. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""I-I promise I'll do something for you," he stammered. "Because I forgot to buy you something."br /"You don't have to," I said, my eyes widening. "I didn't do anything."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Lovino shook his head. "You've been so fucking caring towards me, no matter the mean things I say to you. I-I don't know how to thank you, dammit…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Ah, he's being sweet…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I've actually never heard him speak like this before./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"It's…cute./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"He's embarrassed, too./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I smiled. "Thank you, Lovino."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"Lovino blushed, and looked away./span/p 


	5. Chapter 5

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"POV (Lovino)/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…I think he's gay./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He's definitely not straight, that's for sure – but it just increases my chances of succeeding when I confess to him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"If he accepts, then it'll probably take a while before our relationship takes off. But that's okay./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But!/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Valentine's Day is tomorrow, and I have to act fast./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Tomorrow, girls will be swarming everywhere, receiving gifts from boys, and going out on dates./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Tomorrow, I'm going to ask Antonio out on a date./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A-Actually, I'm going to ask him today. I'm actually planning to do it right now, dammit./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I was stupid enough to have forgotten that his birthday was yesterday./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And I want to give back to him, after all the thing's he's done for me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He always stuck around with me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Even if it got pretty goddamn annoying, he would always talk to me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And I love him for it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…Fuck, I'm blushing again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But now's my chance. It's just the two of us, nobody around./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"In my room./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My dull room./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But we're still alone together, so that's okay./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""A-Antonio?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He looked back at me, a smile on his face, as usual. "What is it, Lovi?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I blushed again at the nickname and shrugged. "U-Uhm, do you want to go out somewhere tomorrow? Just to relieve the stress, you know, from the goddamn assignments we're receiving and the annoying assholes in our grades…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio grinned. "Really? Where do you want to go?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""T-T-T-T-T-The…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Fuck, I haven't even picked a place yet./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, you haven't chosen yet? I was actually going to ask you if you'd like to go to the amusement park with me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"That's em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"much/em better than what I was about to say./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"So/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" much fucking better./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"That's…such a cute date idea, though./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…Ehehehe…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Sure," I said, keeping the scowl on my face. At 10:45 AM?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We're roommates anyway, so if one of us sleeps in, we can just drag them out of bed~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I snorted. "Seriously, Antonio. You could just jump on them."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That would kill one of us, and then the date wouldn't happen," Antonio replied, trying not to laugh./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm," I said. "Good point."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""So it's settled. 10:45 AM tomorrow, at the amusement park?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Deal."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"- VALENTINE'S DAY –/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned, looking over at the bed on the other side of the room. He's still asleep./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Hah! I woke up early! I get to jump on him if he sleeps in!/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…Or pull him out of bed, but still./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I had spent the remains of yesterday looking all over for anything cute I could wear, but there was no sign of anything. Everything else was either brown, black, grey, or some other dark color./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The only other colors available were red and white, but they're just plain T-shirts./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Luckily, I previously had come in contact with a girl in Antonio's grade – Elizaveta Hedervary. She said that I could call her Liz, which was fine, but it turned out that she was actually friends with someone who runs a clothing store in Akihabara. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And so, I managed to get my clothes, and I was pretty happy with how they looked on me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"After I changed, I walked out of my room, going off to prepare lunch and a few snacks—/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Loviiiiiiiii?"/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Fuck, he's awake./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Go and change," I called back. "I'll be there, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Okayyyyyyy!"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Christ, this guy, honestly./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Stupid heart. Why'd you have to fall for a dumbass?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…A very em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"cute/em dumbass, too./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Dammit./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We're leaving," I called out. "If you haven't changed yet, I'll fucking—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovi?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""GYAH!"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio was standing behind me, a confused expression on his face. He grinned. "Are we going now?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh, god./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"How can anyone possibly be this fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"cute/em out of uniform?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He was wearing a red shirt, and black jeans. His hair had been gelled so that it was parted a different way, though I could see some curls popping up. His hair never stays down./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Meanwhile, we've got me…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"While Antonio is off looking like an amazingly adorable (and hot) bastard, I'm wearing a long-sleeved red shirt, these dark blue pants, and snow boots. To top it all off, Liz added a white scarf to the pack, due to the cold weather./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…Dammit./span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Y-You look cute," Antonio said, smiling. I shrugged./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Same for you, dammit. Let's go already."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""T-This isn't like a date or anything, so don't get the wrong idea, dammit," I said, glaring at him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, of course," Antonio replied. He leaned in closer, and whispered into my ear./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're a little loud. I know that it's a date, and I'm very happy you wanted to ask me out. I feel like today will be fun."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I blushed. "But—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We're both guys? So what? We can celebrate Valentine's Day too, you know~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Embarrassed and somewhat frustrated about the fact that he wasn't being oblivious as usual for some reason, I sighed. "I don't really know at the moment. You know, how I feel about you. I don't know how long I'll think about this…I'm sorry."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"As we stepped out of the train, Antonio suddenly hugged me. I flinched at the sudden action, then relaxed a little./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Talk to me when you need to, okay?"br /I nodded. "Yeah."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He smiled. "Where did you get your clothes? They look really cute."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh? That one girl in your class. Liz."br /Antonio nodded. "What do you think of her?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""She's pretty," I said, shrugging. "Nice hair, beautiful eyes, charming accent."br /"Hm," he replied, staring off into the distance./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But she kind of freaks me out, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio broke out of his daze. "Oh?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I shuddered. "When we were talking, I told her about my date plans with you, and she promised not to tell anyone. I believe her, but here's the weird part – she twisted the conversation into something else, and before I knew it, we were talking about gay porn."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yikes," Antonio said. "How did you get to that topic?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I have no fucking idea. She's so goddamn weird. But she's definitely not a bad person."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He laughed. "We should probably go now. We can talk as we walk, you know. Oh, that rhymes~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're such a fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"dork/em."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I know, Lovi~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I giggled. "That's not a good thing."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio raised an eyebrow. "Did you just giggle?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""…No. Did I?" I thought for a while, replaying my words back in my head. In realization, I gaped my mouth open in horror. "Oh, god, I did. Fuck."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's adorable. You should smile and laugh more often."br /I held onto his hand. "Yeah, maybe I should, dammit."br /And for once, I didn't hesitate to smile./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We're going for crepes this time, because the last time you had alcohol, you were tipsy as hell," Antonio laughed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hey! You were high, too!" I groaned. "Fucking hypocrite."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""High on tomatoes," he teased./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I puffed out my cheeks. "em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Che!/em Screw you!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio held onto my hand again. "I love your accent. Your speech is somewhat rougher than Feliciano's soft way of speaking, but I love it. Can you speak some Italian for me?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh. That was unexpected./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh, but hey – he can't understand, right?!/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Vaffanculo,"/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" I said, smiling sweetly./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio laughed. "I know what that means, Lovino."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""W-What?! em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"How?!"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Let's just say that whenever my friends and I are bored, our doorway out of boredom is Google Translate."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Fucking hell," I sighed, putting a hand to my forehead. "Google Translate is fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"terrible."/embr /"It is," Antonio agreed. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Why em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"milkshakes?"/em I laughed. "Now this is stereotypical as fuck, dammit."br /"It's like Netflix romance all over again," Antonio laughed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I took a sip, and we stared at each other for a while, sometimes at the ground, looking for something to talk about./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio looked at me. "I know it was you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I flinched. "Huh?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You kissed me when I was sleeping, didn't you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What? Antonio, were you dreaming—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I was, but I wasn't," Antonio said, his eyes serious. "Did you kiss me?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Christ. Why'd I have to do that?!/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""A-Antonio, I can explain," I said, standing up. "I just fucking—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You always cross the boundaries, don't you?" Antonio said, his voice monotone. "You bend the rules all the time…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I tried to fight the tears. "I-I-I don't know what the fuck came over me then, I just— "/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And that's what I love about you."/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Huhhhhhhh?/emspan style="display: none; mso-hide: all;"What?/span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio walked over to me and gave me a hug. I opened my mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come out./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We'll talk about this later, okay? For now, we have to make the most of today. Live a little."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "Okay."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio laughed. "We're only at the top of the rollercoaster, yet you already look like you're about to scream."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I-I can't handle shit like this, dammit! It's em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"completely/em out of my fucking comfort zone!" I yelled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"As the ride tipped, about to go down, I found my hand in his, and I squealed, as we went down./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We're so fucking lucky I didn't throw up," I mumbled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You sure can scream," Antonio laughed, ruffling my hair, his fingers dangerously close to the curl resting on the top of my head./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hey. Be careful of that."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio raised his eyebrows. "What is it?" He poked the curl, and my entire body twitched./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I-It's—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hey, are you okay?" he asked. "Sit over there. Maybe the ride was too much for you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""N-No, that's not it…"br /His fingers played around with the curl. I shut my eyes tight, trying to avoid any noise coming out of my mouth, attempting to ignore any sensations running through my body. With fully-functioning hormones in my body now, that curl is nothing but trouble, dammit./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It keeps bouncing back up," Antonio said, stroking it flat, as it bounced back up again. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I couldn't hold myself back, and let out a moan. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;""A-Ahn…"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio's eyes widened a little. "L-Lovi?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I blushed. "C-Could we go somewhere more…private? I don't want to talk about this here – there are way too many fucking people."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Sure~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""The curl," I sighed. "It's an erogenous zone."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And what does that mean?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A vibrant red blush colored my cheeks. "I-It means that I feel something – some sort of sensation. Like sexual pleasure running through my body."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And it happens whenever something touches your curl?" Antonio asked, a curious expression on his face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah," I said, looking away. "I know, it's fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"weird./em But I've had it for as long as I could remember, and so has my brother. But it's become more of a problem for us, because we've gotten through most of puberty already, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio held my hand in his. "Hey, it's alright. I'm not going to judge you. You can't control it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded, tears pricking the corners of my eyes, my face hot from the embarrassment./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Besides, I actually find it pretty cute," Antonio said, lightly stroking the curl. I moaned again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""A-Antonio…em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"nngh/em…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah! Sorry, I forgot." He released his fingers from the strand of hair, and gave a guilty smile. I laughed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But it feels good, doesn't it?" Antonio asked. "I'm just curious, but do you ever use it to…well…you know…erhm…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Touch myself?" I asked, feeling my face get hot again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, that must have been too personal. Sorry. We can change the topic, if you'd like—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""No, it's okay," I said. "I've never actually masturbated before, so…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio raised his eyebrows again. "Oh. So I'm not the only one, after all."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What?" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"His cheeks turned pink. "I've never loved anyone before, and I've never really thought of anything romantic, either. That is, until recently."br /Before I knew it, my heart was pounding, and I was eager to hear his reply to the question I was about to ask. Eager, but somewhat scared, too./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You like someone?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He nodded. "That someone is someone very dear to me."br /Oh./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Someone who has a wonderful sense of humor, yet is capable of saying the sweetest things."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh. Not me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""They're very cute, too."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It's not me. Definitely not./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio smiled. "Lovino, how well do you think you know yourself?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nothing. I'll tell you later."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I frowned. "What does all of this have to do with our previous topic, dammit?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh!" Antonio clapped his hands together. "I'm just glad that I'm not the only one who's never masturbated in their lifetime."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A look of confusion spread across my face. "That's it?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yep!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"God. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He is so dense./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"So, so, fucking dense./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It's em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"adorable./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Are you fucking serious? A Ferris wheel?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio grinned. "The day is going to end soon, so I was thinking of finishing it off with something cute."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He was right. The day was almost over, and the crowds were disappearing, one by one. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We were pretty much the only people about to go on the wheel./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Well…except for this other couple. But we'll pretend they don't exist, dammit./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I cast my gaze on the view before me, as the ride spun slowly, at the speed of a clock's hands moving./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""The sunset is beautiful, isn't it?" Antonio asked. I smiled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah."br /"You're beautiful, too," he added./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I rolled my eyes. "Trying to fucking sweet-talk me again, huh."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""This really is Netflix-romance-esque, isn't it?" Antonio laughed. I giggled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Stupid. It's better than that. We haven't even confirmed our feelings for each other. I don't know how long that'll even take. Who knows, it could be a very, very, fucking long time, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Then maybe one of us should shorten that time," he suggested./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Then I'll do it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh, em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"god. /emHere it comes./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I looked at him, blushing. "Antonio, I…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hold on," he said, placing his phone on the space on the seat beside him. "I want to remember this."br /I laughed. "You'll remember it anyway, dumbass."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Okay, it's recording," Antonio said. He sat back down, a look of excitement on his face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I love you, you bastard. I don't exactly know if you love me back or not, but, uhm, I hope you do. I'm probably just like a little brother to you, but, uhm…you're more than a senior or my upperclassman partner to me. Is this the part where we're supposed to kiss? Or someone says yes? Dammit…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Fuck, I messed up./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio smiled. "You're so adorable, Lovi."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"H-He called me adorable…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Of course I love you back."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…He was right about that whole 'Netflix' thing, wasn't he?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"O-O-Oh my god./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It's me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It's me…../span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It's mE/?!KFSJAYIEWQQE/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Abandoning the pool of thoughts in my head, I kissed him, running my fingers through his hair./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"His hair…it's so fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"soft./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I think I've ruined the hairdo he spent all morning working on./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But it doesn't matter./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I like it better this way./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"POV (Antonio)/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The instant it happened, I knew what it meant./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It's real./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Yet it seems so much like a dream./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I'm not single anymore./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I continued to replay his words into my head./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"His shy eyes, the light blush on his face, his beautiful, slender hands fiddling with his scarf, as he said those words:br /em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;""I love you, you bastard. I don't exactly know if you love me back or not, but, uhm, I hope you do. I'm probably just like a little brother to you, but, uhm…you're more than a senior or my upperclassman partner to me. Is this the part where we're supposed to kiss? Or someone says yes? Dammit…"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The one in my dream./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It wasn't a princess./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He was a prince./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My prince./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Lovino./em/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"As his lips pressed against mine, I felt the same lingering warmth that I had felt yesterday – when he had kissed me while I was asleep. That was our first kiss – and it took me a long time of piecing things together until I realized that it was him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But for me, today was the day of our first date – and our real first kiss./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We promised each other that we wouldn't have any alcohol./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"That we wouldn't get drunk./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But does it really make a difference?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"For the first time in my life…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I think I'm going crazy./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"POV (Lovino)/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We said that during this entire date, alcohol would be off-limits, in case we get tipsy again, like our first night in the dorms./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Yet I'm still intoxicated./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I'm in love with you./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I'm intoxicated in your love./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"–span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanEND OF CONFESSION ARC – /span/em/strong/p 


	6. Chapter 6

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"WARNING: MILD SMUT SCENE (MASTURBATION, NO PENETRATION) PLEASE SKIP THE MAJORITY OF THIS CHAPTER IF YOU ARE UNCOMFY WITH THAT UWU/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"otherwise this chapter has some things at the end that are important to the plotline so i recommend reading!/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"(also this chapter kinda sucks bc I made it months ago lmaooo)/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Happy reading!/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"- Ren/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I woke up in my boyfriend's arms, at 3:30 AM./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovi? You're still awake…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Of course," I whispered. "I still can't get over our first date, and our confessions. I keep waking up in the middle of the night, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He hugged me tightly, and kissed my cheek. "Me neither, Lovi. Let's do it again sometime, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I cracked a smile. "You're making it sound like we had sex."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Not now. We're too young." He thought for a bit. "And innocent."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Antonio," I laughed, "I'm anything but innocent."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Says the one who's never masturbated or had sexual thoughts in his life before."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A thought occurred to my head, and I winced at the pain of the memory of my grandfather informing my brother and I about the conditions we had to abide by on our eighteenth birthday. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I was only thirteen, and Feliciano was twelve, when he had told us about the curse we were both born with./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well, maybe we'll do it eventually," I said. "When we get older."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio rolled his eyes. "I've never even seen you naked before."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well, you saw me in my underwear on the day we met. Isn't that enough, dammit?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He grinned. "If you don't want to do anything sexual until we're in our twenties, that's alright. Take your time."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I planted a kiss on his neck, and he moaned a little. I ran my fingers through his hair, for what seemed like the seventh time so far./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We can do something if you want," I whispered. "Not sex, but something we can't do in the dorms."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio blushed. "Lovino, what are you planning this time?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I positioned myself on top of him. "Do you want to see?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""?!"/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I blushed and kissed him again. "You said you've never seen me naked before. Do you want to see?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovino," Antonio moaned, as I began moving my hips back and forth. "How much wine did we have?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But you're horny, too, aren't you?" I licked my lips./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He looked down at his crotch and raised his eyebrows, before looking up at me again. "Yeah…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""In that case, I'll just have a little fun with you," I mused, my hand gliding up his shirt, fondling his right nipple. "I'm really horny. I don't know why, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio pressed his lips against mine, deepening the kiss. My tongue slid into his mouth, as I continued to grind my crotch against his, enjoying the friction./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovi…I feel like something's about to come out…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled. "And that's where we'll stop."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Why?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Because I want to save the rest for when we're actually legal, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio frowned. "But I'll be legal next year~"br /"Then next year we'll go all the way," I assured him. "Love needs patience, amore."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He blushed. "Are you sure you didn't have any alcohol yesterday?"br /"Just a little wine. But love makes you feel fucking crazy, doesn't it?" I said, rubbing myself through the thin material of my boxers. It would take a while for me to get used to this new feeling of sexual pleasure./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I never knew you could be so sexy," Antonio marveled, caressing my sides, his fingers stroking my bare chest./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Do you want to touch it?" I asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Touch what?"br /I pointed to my curl. Antonio's eyes glittered with excitement. He sat up and looked at me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Is it really okay?" he asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "Sure. Just hold on a second."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My hands took hold of the waistband of my underwear, and I slowly slid it down, relieving my erection, which was already swollen to the limit. A bead of precum sat on the tip, oozing out of the slit. I let out a sigh of satisfaction, as my member became exposed to the temperature of the air – and Antonio's eyes./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh my God," Antonio whispered, putting a hand to his mouth in awe. "You're so…big."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I blushed and took hold of my dick, a little embarrassed. "Really? But I'm only at around seven inches…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Big for someone who's about to turn sixteen this year," Antonio added. I rolled my eyes./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And that's why we can't have sex," I pointed out. "Not only because it's illegal – because we're technically still minors by one or two years, but also because of something else – something other than the fact that I'm not comfortable to lose my virginity yet. I'll explain when I'm fine with it. For now, we can only masturbate, okay?"br /"Take your time," Antonio replied. His eyes were still focused on my erect penis. I sighed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You can't touch it," I quickly said. "Just touch the curl."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"His hands shyly guided themselves towards the prominent strand of hair resting on the top of my head. He softly gave it a few slow strokes. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Bucking my hips, I let out a sigh, wanting more./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio smiled. "You're so cute."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Aa-aahn," I moaned. "Faster, Antonio…faster…hnnn…more…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He started to jerk the curl off at a quicker speed. I let out a loud moan, and my hands moved towards my leaking cock, pumping the shaft in time with the movement of his fingers, which were teasing my erogenous zone./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Antonio, more~!" I pleaded. "I'm going to cum soon, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio kissed me full on the lips again, and my free hand lightly held onto his clothed erection, stroking it. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I…I want to make you feel good too," I moaned, releasing my lips from his – but not for long. I continued to kiss him passionately, removing my hand from my dick, so I could feel his soft hair./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I let out a sharp yet gentle gasp, as Antonio started to jerk me off, replacing my hand that was previously there. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I-I'm coming," I panted. "I can't take it anymore!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio nodded, unable to speak due to the different new sensations running through his body./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"As I made my first release, I let out a scream, as I was not exactly used to ejaculation. My semen splattered onto my chest, and Antonio's hip area. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My boyfriend hadn't come yet – as he wasn't ready, and so I allowed myself to be gentle as I pleasured him. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The two of us were a mess of heavy and ragged breaths, little moans, and sighs of satisfaction. Quiet, gentle whispers of sweet nothings and 'I love you's' could be heard across the room./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Though it wasn't anything like real sex, it would surely be a night we would never forget./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Dammit,"/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" I sighed. "I have to change the sheets again."br /Antonio grinned. "Morning!"br /"Yeah, yeah, morning, my ass," I replied, the usual frown on my face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Someone's grumpy again~" he sang./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I rolled my eyes. "Shut up. I just changed the sheets the other day, dammit – and now there's gross (not literal) shit all over the bed!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He laughed. "And whose fault was that, hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I was em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"DRUNK!"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Not really," Antonio said. "You didn't have much wine…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well, em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"you/em were horny, too!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Because you made me that way," he retorted./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I rolled my eyes again. "You know what, I'm just going to go off and change already, dammit. Because I don't want my flaccid dick hanging out the entire day, even if we're in my house. You should probably do the same, too."br /Antonio frowned. "But I'm wearing my underwear, though!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah, you probably came in those once or twice."br /Antonio shook his head. "You saw. I didn't."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's still gross, dumbass," I scoffed. "There's probably precum in there."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh. You're probably right."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Honestly!" I said. "I'll be in the kitchen when you're done, moron."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My phone suddenly rang, and I picked it up. "Hello?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I can't believe you fell in love with a man. And a human one, at that. We all already know about this."br /span/em/strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I paled. My cousin, Christine./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""How the fuck do you know?!" I exclaimed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovino, haven't you forgotten that we live in the Underworld, and you live on Earth now? We can see you. The Underworld's technology has expanded greatly."/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""B-But—" I protested./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The line dropped./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sighed. What did this mean? Were they going to track me down and take me back? Wer—/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The phone rang again. I picked it up, ready to hear my cousin screaming at me again. Instead, the sound of my great aunt's raspy voice filled my right ear. I cringed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovino, your grandfather is very disappointed! Leave the premises of Earth right now!"/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sighed. "Fucking hell. Chill. I get that you're mad that I ran away to be on Earth, but—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's not that! You have fallen in love with a man!"/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well, stuff it!" I yelled, losing it. "I don't care about the arranged marriage. I don't care that I'm going to be the heir after Arthur. I don't give a shit about any of it! Besides, em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"you're /emmaking me marry a man, too!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Your parents would be very disappointed!"/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""They would be more disappointed in you – trying to get me to marry my fucking brother of all people!" I shot back./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Your brother is of royal blood, as are you. But you are the elder sibling, therefore the rightful second heir to the throne of the Underworld. Think about the risks you are putting down on us, by staying on the disgusting planet that is Earth – doing such things with someone of the same sex as you! Making love with a human! It is inappropriate!"/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Tears began to stream down my face. "Have you forgotten that I'm em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"human/em, too? I may also be immortal, and may have a demon form, but I'm a strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"half-blood/strong – I also have the right to stay on Earth—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm surprised your grandfather hasn't considered banishing you from our world yet. The people of the Underworld are already fearing the day that Arthur will be dethroned – and crown you king."/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Arthur won't even be king in em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"ages/em!" I screamed. "And if Nonno wants to fucking banish me, so be it! I want to have nothing to do with your stupid fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"world /emever again!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"There was a moment of silence, though I could still hear my aunt's breaths./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Two more years,"/span/em/strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" she said, lowering her voice to a raspy whisper. strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;""On your eighteenth birthday, you must either have sexual intercourse with the one you love – or feed on their soul. It is your choice. If you refuse to make your brother your lover, then by law you will forever be banished from the Underworld. If you do not oblige, then you will be stripped of your immortality, and perish. As well as your lover. He will also die if he fails to be approved by the Judge, because he is a human. Two more years, Lovino."/em/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The line went dead, and I dropped to the floor, sobbing./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio rushed over to me. "Lovi, what happened?! Why are you crying?!"br /I shook my head, crying. "Antonio, if they kill you, I…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What?! What are you talking about?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I started to bawl again, and Antonio held me close, kissing me all over./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Once I had calmed down, I looked at him, still shaking./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Let's go into my room. I think it's about fucking time I told you, dammit."/span/p 


	7. Chapter 7

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I exhaled, drying my tears. "First of all, don't freak out. I'm going to show this to you, because I feel like it's something you really need to know, dammit. You plan on spending the rest of your life by your side, right?" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio nodded, and I sighed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You see, I'm actually going to have to watch you die. Because you'll die eventually, being a mortal, and I'm immortal, so I'll stay alive…forever."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He bit his lip, thinking about it. I stood up from the bed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""In other words," I said, my voice cracking, feeling the tears coming again, "I've been lying to you this entire time, Antonio. This? What you see in front of you, what everyone sees? This is a em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"lie/em. This is my disguise here on Earth."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Here it comes, I thought. The clock./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The unique watch Antonio had been admiring. The watch I always wore./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It was a version of something we used in the Underworld – the em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Magyk Clock./em /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"In a nutshell, there are these symbols on it, and when the clock strikes on the top – the number em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"666,/em demons cannot hide their wings for a certain amount of time. My watch is just a version of it – so that I can carry it around, here on Earth./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And…./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…../span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…Now./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"As the clock's hands hit the em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'666'/em symbol, I turned my back against him, and a growing pain pierced my back. I felt an overwhelming aching surround my head at first – before extending to my entire body. I shut my eyes./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"When the transformation had concluded, I hesitated for a moment, and looked back at him, knowing that I could trust him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""L-Lovino…" Antonio managed to say, in shock./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A pair of wings had sprouted out of my back – dark red ones, both of which resembled the shape of the wings of a bat. Below, a long, thin tail with some sort of an arrow shape hung from my behind, just below my hip./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovino, your eyes…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He was right. Now that I had returned to my true form, my once hazel eyes were now a pinkish-red, and little red devil horns rested on the top of my head./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded, trying to fight the tears again. "T-This is me. I'm still Lovino, but—uhm—em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"u-u-u-u-uuuuuu"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Before I knew it, I had burst into tears again. Was he going to break up with me? Tell his friends?br /"Lovino." He held onto my hands. "Though you're different—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm not even fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"human/em!" I sobbed. He held me close./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Though you're different," he began again, "that doesn't make you any less special to me, you know."br /I wiped away my tears. "What?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He grinned. "When you transformed, I almost thought you were an angel."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I snorted. "I'm a em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"demon/em, Antonio."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""A em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"fallen/em angel, then," Antonio said. "Now, is there something you want to explain to me?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. I need to tell him all./span/p 


	8. Chapter 8

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""When I was about three years old, and Feliciano was two, we grew up as normal kids, in Italy./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My mother was only sixteen when she fell in love with my father. They got married when she was eighteen. She was like a beautiful angel to him. My father, on the other hand, was a simple man who wanted nothing more than for his loved ones to be happy. Just like you, Antonio./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But my mother didn't come from Earth. She was from a completely different world. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Underworld./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It didn't mean that she was a spirit, but it meant that she was a demon. The Underworld is where various species of demons and other beings thrive and live, much like here on Earth, but it's fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"horrible./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ever since I had moved to live in the Underworld at age four, I would see the citizens being burned alive for not abiding by their conditions./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"So back when I was three, my mother had revealed herself to be a demon to our father. To be more specific – a strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"succubus./strong /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Succubi are demons that only take the form of a woman – they're female demons who frequently have sexual intercourse with human men. They just do it – it's their way of life. They crave for it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My mom, much like me, was pretty fucking terrified when she revealed herself to my dad, as she herself was disgusted by the type of demon she was born as. She didn't want to be a whore./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nevertheless, my father accepted her for who she was, and they continued to live a life together./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But he got drunk at a pub one day, and told his friends about his wife. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And so, they told their friends./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And those friends told theirs./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And so on./span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"This watch you've seen on my wrist? It's a smaller version of what we call in the Underworld 'em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Magyk Clock'/em. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Magyk Clocks help us demons to keep track of when we'll snap out of human form. When the clock strikes the '666' symbol at the top, demons cannot hide their wings for a specific time./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And so, my mother had been worrying too much about the fact that people were questioning about her. Some called her husband loony and crazy. Others were convinced and decided to keep watch./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""The pressure was eventually too much for her, and she went into a depression. Her husband tried to comfort her, but it was no use. Just by telling his friends, he had started a war between the two worlds. People had spotted her wings and caught visual evidence./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Now, you may think that it is impossible for a human to travel to the Underworld. It is. But with the guidance of a demon, they can make it there./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Back then, the king had a son of which went by the name Arthur. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Arthur was what most would refer to as a 'trickster', but at this time period, he was a traitor./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He came down to Earth, and sent humans to the Underworld. One by one, the numbers of humans grew, many of which were skilled at witchcraft and curses. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""At the same time, many demons sent themselves down to Earth, willing to fight back for their world./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My mother – their target, was found in her home back in Earth, and there were many against her. Not only the outraged humans, but the demons, too. They had felt that she was a traitor, and that she had revealed herself and the Underworld to humans – while it was actually the prince who did so./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It was also because she had fallen in love with a human instead of abiding by the guidelines of the arranged marriage, which was greatly frowned upon./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Her husband did all he could to protect her, but it was no use. The two of them died a slow and painful death, by the humans and demons themselves./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feliciano and I were in the room at the time, and I can still remember how much I cried, having to watch both of my parents die like that. Feliciano was only two at the time, so he was confused, but when he realized what was happening, he cried in my arms, pleading for our parents to wake up./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But they never did./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Shortly after the war had drawn to a close, our grandfather, Romulus, took us in, and promised that he'd take us back to our 'other home'. Feliciano seemed convinced, but I wouldn't stop crying./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"When we got to the Underworld, it was nothing like Earth at all, and I was horrified./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The air was worse than Earth's. (Which, for me, is a lot.)/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The sky looked gross./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The people looked scary – and some of them were even flying./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Some were publicly being burnt to death./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'Do you remember how your mother had wings?'/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" our grandfather had said, kneeling down next to us. Feliciano and I nodded./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'Well, you see, you can do the same,"/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" he said, em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;""and so can the rest of us, down here. Try it. Just concentrate for a bit.'/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I shut my eyes, and felt the transformation. I remember screaming in agony at the pain rushing through my body during the transformation. Feliciano wouldn't stop crying, as he went through the same./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And he brought out a mirror, and then I saw it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Tiny wings./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Horns./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A tail./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The same went for Feliciano, though his appearance was different to mine. If anything, he looked more like an angel, rather than a demon. His wings were that of a big, white bird's, and his horns looked like a ram's./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And I cried. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feliciano, on the other hand, was curious, and wanted to see if he could fly. He certainly was shocked to see that he could, and he enjoyed it very much./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I spent the rest of my days sitting alone, not wanting to talk to anyone. All I wanted was to be back at Earth, parents or not./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"One day, when I was at around five, I was playing with my brother, willing to do anything that would make me smile. But nothing happened./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And then I overheard all my relatives talking to my grandfather about the two of us./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"About how Feliciano was quiet, cheerful, and sensible, despite being in the circumstances he was in now, and in contrast, I would always get angry easily, curse all the time, and cry./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'He's a disappointment.'/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'I can't believe he's the next heir after Arthur II.'/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'Little Arthur is still a child. There is time,'/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" my grandfather would say./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'But it's very worrying. Lovino is only five years old, and he's already like this. The Underworld cannot have a king like him.'br /'He will grow with time and patience.'/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'And how do you know that?'/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'Because he is one of my two grandsons, and I have great faith in the both of them.'/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'But look at him! Just the thought of looking after something like that is already making me sick!'/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'I can't even look at him anymore. What a disappointment.'/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I had had enough. I locked myself in my room, and screamed in tears, tearing at my clothes and hair. I wanted to get away from the Underworld and anything associated with it as soon as possible./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Though Feliciano and I were clearly demons, there was a part of us that was still human, due to our father being, well, a human. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But there were things in our way./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Because the two of us are half-bloods, we're immortal, but there was a catch when we were born. Our mother was a succubus, and so we were born as em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"incubi/em – the male equivalents of succubi./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But due to the human blood running through our bodies, a curse was bestowed upon us./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"You see, demons aren't supposed to fall in love with humans, and humans aren't supposed to fall in love with demons. But Feliciano and I were part of the Underworld's royal bloodline, and so, instead of being sent to death and being stripped of our immortalities, on the day of our eighteenth birthday, we would have to either have sexual intercourse with the one we truly love, or feed on their soul./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It gets worse./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Much like my mother, due to being of royal blood, Feliciano and I had been scheduled for an arranged marriage together before our eighteenth birthday./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Which is em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"disgusting./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Because that, my friend, is incest./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We were told about the arranged marriage when we were at around ten and eleven, and we were horrified. My brother burst into tears, and I threw a fit./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The thought haunted us for years, and by the time I was twelve, about to turn thirteen, one day Feliciano woke me up early in the morning, and asked me about Earth./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'Fratello, do you miss our home?'/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"By then, I had grown into an adolescent boy who still couldn't get over the trauma of his past. Just thinking of our home would make me end up in tears./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I soon grew suicidal, wanting to die, yet knowing I couldn't. I even considered breaking the pact of my eighteenth birthday, just so that I would die./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Knowing that I was living in Hell while my mother and father were in Heaven was already enough./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'Yeah, I do.'/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feliciano broke into a big smile. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'Fratello, I have an idea.'/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'What? There's nothing to do here. This world is so fucking stupid.'/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A disheartened look had spread across his face. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'I know that you're sad. I am, too. That's why I think we should run away.'/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I twitched. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'What?'/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'Fratello, if I don't get out of here right now, I'll do anything to get myself killed. I've had enough of waking up every day, in this hell we live in.'/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'So?'/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Hesitantly, he sucked in a breath and exhaled. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'I want to run away from here. I want to stay in Earth with you.'br /emMy eyes widened. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'Are you fucking crazy?!'/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'Maybe.'/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" His eyes shifted around. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'But think of all the things we could get away from – having to watch people getting burned alive, public executions, being the heir…'/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He leaned in to whisper to me. strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'The arranged marriage.'/em/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And that's when it hit me – he was right. There was nothing to do here except witness horrific events, be exposed to the rotting air, and eventually face the dreaded arranged wedding./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'F-Fine, dammit,'/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" I stammered, holding onto his hand. 'em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"But stay with me, okay?'/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'Of course,'/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" Feliciano replied, hugging me. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And so we flew down to Earth through a portal – the portal that was forbidden from children under the age of sixteen. Only those considered adults in the Underworld were permitted to temporarily depart. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Even back then, Feliciano and I were clumsy and had absolutely no sense of direction, so we ended up in Japan, on the streets, near those small shops./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"For days, we stayed there, with no place to go. We would get cold, and snuggle up to each other for comfort. From time to time, we'd talk about our parents, and cry together./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And here's where it gets interesting – this random lady comes along, and she asks if we're okay./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The lady had three kids with her – two boys who looked almost identical, and a small Asian girl./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I was silent, clinging onto Feliciano in slight fear. The past of the Underworld and the war had left me traumatized, and since then I never trusted anyone ever again, except for Feliciano./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'Where are your parents?'/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" the woman had asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'Why are the little boys sitting there like that?'/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" the girl asked, tugging onto the woman's coat./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'Maybe they got attacked by aliens,'/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" the taller boy beside her suggested, causing the little girl to yank his ponytail in anger./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The other boy walked over to us. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'Hey, are you guys okay?'/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I hugged Feliciano tightly, unable to speak. My brother shook his head./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'We don't have a home right now, so we're staying with each other.'/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'Where are your Mama and Papa?'/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" the boy asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'Dead,'/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" I spat outem style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;". 'And our family doesn't love us.'/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The little boy looked up at his mother, his big, innocent green eyes wide open. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'Can we take them home, Mama? Please?'/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The girl glared at the boy. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'Kuya, are you stupid or something? They have a family of their own! You can't just take kids like that – it's illegal! You're such a dumby!'/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'It's child trafficking,'/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" the other boy said, laughing. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Their mother looked at us. 'em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"You two have nowhere to go?'/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'Our parents are dead, and our family might as well kill us if we come back,'/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" Feliciano said, shivering from the cold./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The boy with the ponytail sighed. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'What are we going to do?'/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'Can we please take them in?' /span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"his brother asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'But our flight is tomorrow,'/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" the little girl pointed out. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'We're going back home. Are we supposed to pay for a ticket for the both of them?'/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'You're so coldhearted,'/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" the ponytail dude mumbled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'We actually have a friend whose home is up for sale, but nobody's buying it at the moment,'/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" their mother said. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feliciano gasped. 'em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Oh, we couldn't possibly do that! We don't have any money…'/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'I just texted her, and she says you should take the home as soon as possible for free,'/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" she said. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I gaped my mouth open. 'em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"T-Thank you…'/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'In the meantime, I suppose we could stay with you until we leave. Come here with us.'/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We walked beside the woman and her kids, and the girl glanced over to me, cracking a smile./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'You're cute,'/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" she said to me. I raised an eyebrow./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""…"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'And I don't know you, but I think we could be friends,'/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" she mumbled, fiddling with her braids. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'Just please don't be a dumby like my cousin.'/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I shrugged and kept on walking./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"As we arrived at the house, I had a glimpse of what it was like to have a supportive family./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'What's your name?'/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" one of the boys asked. His hair was incredibly curly, and it looked very soft, too./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'L-Lovino,'/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" I mumbled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'Hey, he talks!' his brother exclaimed, pointing at me. Feliciano chuckled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"'Of course he talks. I'm Feliciano, by the way~'/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""My brother was always the more sociable one out of the two of us./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Probably even the cutest out of the two of us./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And then I overheard them talking about a school – a multicultural school – W Academy. I never managed to get the names of the kids and their mother. I'd like to thank them someday."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled at Antonio, waiting for his response./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""So I was right, wasn't I?" Antonio asked, his fingers interlacing with mine. "We have met before."br /"Yeah, and I only got your name now, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio grinned. "You're so cute."br /"Shut up," I laughed, hugging him. "You're the one who's cute."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Do you think that Clarisse still remembers you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nah," I scoffed. "That chick's too thick-headed."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm actually amazed, though. Do you remember my dream?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""How could I ever forget?" I snorted. "You dreamt that you were kissing a prince on top of a tower. So what?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It was you, Lovino. You're the prince."br /I rolled my eyes. "Well, I am literally a prince. Not here on Earth, though."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's a shame that our love is forbidden in your world, though."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well," I said, fiddling with my curl, "there is a way that I could possibly get you approved by my family and the Judge."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio raised his eyebrows. "How?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We need someone to turn you into a demon."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh. But my family…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's okay," I quickly said. "All demons can revert back to human form. And when the clock strikes '666', well, you'd better tell them. Or you can just wear a hoodie. I don't know."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's great," Antonio said, the usual grin returning to his face. "So, can you do it?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, I can't do it," I said, shaking my head. "That magic is too powerful. But Arthur can."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio raised his eyebrows. "Arthur? The traitor guy?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""No," I said. "Arthur II. The traitor's son."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He winced. "Yikes. So when can we meet this Arthur II?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sucked in a breath./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Tomorrow, in your classroom."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But isn't he a guy who specializes in witchcraft? Wouldn't that be bad, having a random dude from the Underworld in the classroom? What even is his name?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I inhaled. "Antonio."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What?" There was clearly worry in his eyes./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Arthur Kirkland."/span/p 


	9. Chapter 9

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's him." I nodded towards a guy of English descent, sitting beside Alfred. He was blond, though his huge eyebrows were jet-black./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio wrinkled his nose. "Ew, em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"him?"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I let out a big sigh. "Antonio, I don't care that you hate him, do you want to talk to him about it, or not?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""How do you know if I even want to turn into a demon?" Antonio asked. "I'm not entirely sure about this, you know."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hold on." I leaned in closer. "Do your friends know?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What, that you aren't human?" he whispered. "No! Why would I tell them—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Not that," I said. "That we're dating."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh. They don't know—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, yes we do! em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Hon!/em Do you think that we're that stupid?"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We both turned around to see two guys, a blond dude, and an albino bastard./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grimaced. "Great."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Y-You em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"knew/em?" Antonio asked, a look of surprise on his face. Gilbert cackled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Of course we did! It's awesome, though. You're finally with someone!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Unlike someone," Francis mumbled, his eyes darting over to Gilbert./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Gilbert sighed. "She's a real beauty, that Elizaveta. Too bad she can't see how awesome I am!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You gotta stop flexing on everyone," Alfred scoffed. "Girls don't like narcissistic guys. They find it gross."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio looked at Francis. "What about you? Didn't you like Arthur at one point? During sixth grade?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oui," the baguette bastard replied. "We've known each other since we were toddlers, so I figured that he'd probably accept. But then he fell for Alfred, so I never bothered telling him."br /"Wow," Alfred whispered. "Deep."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's actually really sad," Antonio sighed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Non," Francis said, shaking his head. "I got over it a long time ago. Love cannot be forced, you know. I'll just have to wait for the right time."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I rolled my eyes. "I actually thought at first that I hated Antonio, dammit. And now I love him to fucking bits."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Wow," Matthew whispered. "I've never heard so many swear words in such an empathic sentence."br /"Since when were you here?" Antonio asked the Canadian. Matthew let out a sigh./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I was here in the last fifteen minutes, Antonio. You guys really should pay more attention."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Where's Feli?" Antonio asked. I shrugged./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""He's in the other class. He's still a junior, but he'll be a first-year next year."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Francis looked at me. "Have you two gone on a date yet?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We nodded, and Antonio kissed my cheek. I squeezed his hand./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Have you kissed yet? On the lips?" Gilbert asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "During our first date, we confessed to each other, and had our first kiss."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"There was a crazy, eager look in Francis' eyes. "Have you two had sex yet?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio looked horrified. "Francis, Lovino is only em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"fifteen!/em He's underage!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'll be sixteen in March," I scoffed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's still too young, though," Antonio sighed. "I wonder if it was a good idea to do that the other night."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""OHO!"/span/em/strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" France said, his eyes glittering with excitement. "What did you two do?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Please don't describe it in detail."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Just the usual kissing," Antonio said. "On the bed. With tongue."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And dry humping," I added. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""He let me touch his curl," my boyfriend whispered, blushing. "And he showed me his—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You get the idea," I said, noticing that Clarisse was already turning pale from the topic of the conversation. "We didn't fuck or anything, we just teased each other in a sexual way."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""So…you masturbated together?" Alfred asked. "There was no penetration, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Technically it is masturbation," Antonio said. "But that was it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Gilbert rolled his eyes. "Man, you two are so vanilla. That's nothing!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Says the virgin," Francis mumbled. "We're all virgins."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Naturally," Antonio said. "We're only in our second year of high school, and Lovi and Alfred are both only in their first year. I doubt anyone in our grade's had sex yet."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And if they have, I'd be concerned," Matthew added. "That's illegal, isn't it?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm pretty sure the age of consent here in Japan is thirteen," Alfred said./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grimaced. "Ew. Why the fuck would you even have sex at that age?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""No idea," Francis sighed. "People are getting stranger as time passes."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Changing the subject," Matthew said, sighing, "but what's in that basket you brought, Clarisse?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Food," Clarisse mumbled. "I always bring a basket of food everywhere."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What a mood," Alfred sighed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio grinned. "She's always prepared, isn't she?"br /"Unlike someone," I mumbled, glaring at him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hey, did you hear about about the latest K-Pop news? About all the BLACKPINK Lisa hate?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Please stop with the K-Pop, Alex. I feel sick."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We all looked behind us, to see two dudes running towards us./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Though they definitely weren't identical at all, you could tell that they were brothers./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Alfred, where were you?" the dude with the blue eyes asked, hugging Alfred. "I couldn't find you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The other dude grinned at Arthur. "Hey. Did you hear about em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"BLACKPINK's 'In Your Area'/em em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Tour/em—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Not interested," Arthur quickly said./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Anyway," the first dude said, a smile on his face, "I'm Tyler, and this is my twin, Alex."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We're from California," Alex added./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio grinned. "Yeah, I know."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Antonio!" Tyler said. "I didn't know you went to this school. Since when?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Since seventh grade," Antonio replied. "You?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's our first time here," Tyler said. "I heard about this school from Alfred, so I decided to give it a try."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alex sighed. "The entrance exam was a nightmare."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I flinched, remembering how hard the exam was. I practically slept for two days straight after the day of the test. Feliciano, on the other hand, was completely fine./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I'm definitely not a smart person, so I was surprised as fuck when I saw my exam candidate number on the screen./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…And yes, I probably even cried of relief./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"What? I wanted to get a good education during my time on Earth. Learning how to burn people alive in the Underworld was em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"not/em fun, dammit./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Wait," I said, looking at the twins. "How do you know Antonio? And how does he know you two?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We're distant relatives," Antonio said, smiling. "It's a long story."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh." I nodded, and Tyler stared at me, a smirk on his face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hey…are you two dating?" he asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I blushed. "Where the fuck did you get that idea from? Of course n—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Of course we are," Antonio said, grinning. "Isn't it great?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…Damn you, Antonio./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""W-Well, I guess we are," I mumbled, holding onto Antonio's hand shyly. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alfred raised his eyebrows. "I'm pretty surprised you ended up falling in love with a dude, though. You, of all people."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well, it was pretty fucking unexpected, dammit. I'm pretty sure I'm straight."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Francis shifted his eyes around, in thought. "Perhaps you're gay for him?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's probably it," I said, blushing even harder./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Come to think of it…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…Am I even still em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"straight?/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I actually don't know, dammit. Ever since I realized that I love Antonio, I couldn't stop thinking about it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Am I straight, but gay for him? Am I actually gay? Bisexual? Pansexual? I don't know if I'll ever know./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Well, I don't think I find anything attractive about other men. But at the same time…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sighed. How the fuck did it even come to this? Getting a boyfriend right after I realize my feelings for him…what the fuck? Is this real?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovino."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I looked around, and Antonio was standing up, holding out his hand. I took it, and also stood up./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Where the fuck is everyone else?" I asked. Antonio smiled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lunch is over, Lovi. They went to class."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Shit!"/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" I yelled. "We're late?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio kissed me. "It's alright, I'll do the explaining. You've had enough worries for a while, darling."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I blushed at the name. 'em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Darling'?/em Isn't it too soon to be calling each other things like that? We've only just gotten together, a month ago…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It's sweet, yet awkward, and I'm sweating just thinking about our future together. And the fact that he called me 'darling'./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Yet I'm not complaining./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"What the fuck is wrong with me lately? /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"As soon as school finished, I rushed to the dorms, and threw myself onto the bed. It had been another long day./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You know, the reason I got attached to you is because my family never really liked me," I said, sighing. "You gave me good vibes, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio grinned. "I'm glad you don't hate me anymore, though. You have no idea how much I wanted to get on your good side."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sat up. "What's your idea of your future?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Where'd this come from all of a sudden?" he laughed. "Ah, well, don't you mean our future?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A blush colored my cheeks. "Y-You mean…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I want to live together with you," Antonio said, sitting beside me, his arms wrapped around my waist. He rested his head on my shoulder. "And maybe, we can become even more than just a young couple dating."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh my god./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh. My. Fucking. God./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Holy tomatoes. He wants to marry me?!/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He wants us to get fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"married?!/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Same-sex marriage is legal in Spain, so I think it'd work," he said, also blushing. "That is, if you want to."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""U-Uhm, maybe we need a little more time together," I stammered, trying to hide my joy and disbelief. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio kissed me. "Of course. Take your time."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He let out a tired sigh. "Ah, you know, though it may seem that I'm very laid back and experienced with this relationship, I was actually scared at the beginning."br /I raised my eyebrows. "Scared?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Scared that I wouldn't be enough for you," Antonio said. "And I'd never loved anyone else before you. You were my first love."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And so were you./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I turned around, and my hands wandered over to his hair. I ran my fingers through it, enjoying the soft feeling./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""About the contract," I said. "On my eighteenth birthday."br /Antonio nodded. "It's going to be with me, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Sucking in a breath hesitantly, I nodded. "I love you, and only you, you bastard. But at the same time, I'm not sure I want to lose my virginity at eighteen. It's kind of young, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But we were practically dry-humping," Antonio pointed out. I rolled my eyes./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's different. That was masturbation. But sex is completely different. There's a reason why it's illegal for those under the age of majority in their country to do it, dammit. Intercourse isn't something that should be taken so fucking lightly."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Eighteen is okay," Antonio said. "At least it's the age of majority in most countries. But you're right – most people with common sense would do it during their early twenties."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And then I realized something./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Antonio," I said, "by the time I turn 18, you would've already graduated. Wouldn't you be back in Spain?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He shook his head. "I'm going to be studying abroad."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh? Where?" I crossed my fingers, hoping it'd be somewhere close. After Feliciano and I graduate, we'll be off to Italy, our birthplace, but I want to see Antonio, too./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Somewhere in Europe. But it'll be mid-year, so you'll still have time."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I breathed a sigh of relief. "That's okay, then."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio held my face in his hands. "Lovino, are you crying again?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What?! No!" I wiped away a tear. But before I knew it, I broke down, hugging him tightly./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I don't want you to leave me," I sobbed. "I'll miss you, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He lifted my bangs, and kissed my forehead. "I know, my dear. But I promise I'll visit you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""How long will you be studying abroad?" I asked in a shaky voice. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""About five to seven years," he said. "I want to work in Europe for a while, then I promise that I'll live together with you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I wiped away my tears. "But if I find you somehow, can I visit you every now and then?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Of course." He laughed, and kissed me twice – on my nose, and my lips. "After all, how could I say no to that face?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A giggle escaped my lips, and I fell onto the bed, with him on top of me – just like a Netflix romance movie./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But for now, promise that you'll never leave me," I said./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio grinned. "You sound so demanding. And if I say no?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Then I'll make you sorry, you goddamn bastard. I'll make you fucking regret it, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""The only thing that would leave me in regret is seeing you cry," he whispered, poking my nose. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I pressed my lips against his, slowly deepening it. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My hands were all over the place – one moment they were feeling up his hair (again, dammit) , the next, they were on his chest. Our tongues intertwined, and we held onto each other's hands tightly. I put my knee forward, only just touching his crotch area./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I know we can't have sex right now, and I'm not ready, anyway," I breathed in between kisses and soft touches, "but when the time comes, I'll go crazy all over you. Is that okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio leaned in, trailing tiny kisses down from my cheek, stopping at my neck to suck it. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Y-You didn't…answer the fucking question," I moaned. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He pulled back, and licked his lips. "I couldn't resist."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Damn you…" My hand guided itself to my crotch, and when I thought Antonio wasn't looking, I rubbed myself, attempting to silence my moans./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio kissed me again, and I released my hands, and lifted his shirt. My eyes widened at the sight of him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We're going too far, don't you think?" he asked. "T-This is a bit…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "…Sorry. I got carried away, dammit…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's alright," Antonio laughed. "It's cute."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's just that I keep forgetting that we're still in high school. I keep letting my mind fly free."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio looked at me. "But it's because you love me, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled. "Yeah."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""People do crazy things when they're in love," he sighed. "It's a dangerous thing."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I cocked my head to the side. "But we've only been together for about a month."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well, that doesn't change the fact that I love you."br /A smirk crept up onto my face. "So Clarisse was right, after all?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""About what?" Antonio asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That you're gay."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He grinned. "Well, about that. I'm still questioning myself about it, but it's not something really important right now, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But you don't care that I'm a guy. That I'm male, and so are you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio's eyes shifted around in thought. "I feel like gender and physical appearance are two of the least important things when it comes to loving someone, really. Even if you were a turtle, I would still love you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I snorted. "Do you have a fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"turtle kink/em or something?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ew, no." He winced. "That's going too far."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It's rare to see Antonio displeased in any way. It's actually kind of cute when he cringes like that. (But it still kind of turns me on when he curses, dammit.)/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I held onto his hand, and snuggled up to him. "Hey…is it really okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What's okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That I'm a demon. Well, a half demon, but still."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio sighed, and ran his fingers through his hair. "This again, Lovino?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I just don't want you feel uncomfortable or anything about the fact that I'm not entirely human. We both want to live the rest of our lives together, but what if it doesn't work out? What if it ends up like what happened to my parents? What if—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovi, I'd never tell anyone about your secret without your consent. I swear my life on it." His expression was serious, and I could tell that he meant /I smiled. "Your love for me really is genuine, isn't it?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Of course. Why do you ask?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well, I was actually pretty fucking worried that there's a slight chance that you might have been one of those people," I said, shuddering./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio raised his eyebrows. "One of 'those people'?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You know. Fuckboys."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He kissed my forehead again. "I would never use you for sex. Even if you used me, I wouldn't do the same to you. And if you ever escaped from me, I'd let you. I'd be heartbroken, sure, but I'd let you go, because I love you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, and I held him close, burying my face in his chest. "I love you too, you bastard."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're turning sixteen this March 17th, right?" he asked, stroking my hair. I lifted my face up from him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You remembered?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio grinned. "I make sure to check the notebook every often. I wouldn't want to miss my friends' birthdays, let alone my boyfriend's, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Aww. That's fucking cute./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled. "And I forgot to buy you something for yours. I remembered a day later, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You forgot, yet you ended up giving me the best present," he whispered, kissing my cheek. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well, your birthday is two days before Valentine's Day," I laughed. "Fucking hell. This is rigged."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio grinned. "And you and Feli have your birthday on March!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grimaced. "March. I feel like bad things always happen on fucking March, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Letting out a sigh, I nodded. "My other little brother back in Italy – Romeo, had his vaccinations in March. And he said that they hurt even more than usual."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You have another brother?" he asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah, he's three years younger than me. He's the baby of the family," I replied. "Also, there was that time last year in March when I fell down several flights of stairs at home, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yikes," Antonio said. "March is the bad month for you, isn't it?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sighed. "Bad things just happen in March, dammit. I don't know why the fuck, though."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Except for your birthday~" he sang. I rolled my eyes and allowed a giggle to escape my lips./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A thought entered my head, and I jolted up. "Antonio."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The blood rushed out of my face. "Did we lock the fucking door?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio nodded. "Yeah."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He stood up. "Hold on. I'll check."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I shivered. Had someone walked in during our make-out session, I would be fucking doomed, dammit./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's alright," he called back. "I locked it. Sorry. I just forgot."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I let out a sigh of relief. "Thank god, dammit. I was fucking terrified that we might have left it unlocked."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""So…what are we going to do now?" Antonio asked, his eyes shifting around in thought./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Study. Duh."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""After studying?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Food."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Curiously, he leaned in. "After food?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "I have plans. None of which are anything sexual, by the way. Gotta keep it clean until we turn 18, dammit."/span/p 


	10. Chapter 10

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A few days passed, and before I knew it, it was already the weekend./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Which can only mean one thing – free time to spend with Antonio, without school getting in the way./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I rolled out of bed in laziness, not feeling bothered to get up at all. Which is a mood. But whatever, dammit. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My hands gripped onto the sheets of my boyfriend's bed. "Hey."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Good morning, Lovi," he laughed, squeezing my hand. I broke into a big grin./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Let's go out," I said. "I want to hang out with you again, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio smirked. "Don't we hang out every day, though?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I giggled. "Whatever. Studying doesn't count, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're so beautiful," he said. His hands ran across my arms. "And your skin is soft, too."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""If we weren't in a relationship, I would've killed you for saying that," I snorted. "Oh, and about that…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm? What is it?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sighed. "I try to sound tough and shit, but I actually can't do anything like that – you know, beating up people and all that. I'm too scared to try anything violent. Basically, I'm really different from what people expect of me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And there's nothing wrong with that," Antonio assured me. "You may be vulgar and intimidating at first, but after I got to know you, I realized that you're actually a pretty adorable and interesting guy."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But I'm a fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"crybaby/em," I complained. He laughed, and ruffled my hair playfully, causing me to crack a smile./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nothing wrong with that, either." /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sighed, and frowned. "It's still early in the morning, and it's already so fucking hot, dammit…" I slipped off my shirt, and tossed it to the ground. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I can see you, you know," I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "You're looking at me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I can't help the fact that you're attractive, okay?" Antonio laughed. "Sorry."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "Dork."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He hugged me from behind, startling me a little. "I love how you're so delicate, yet you have a soft centre."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Wow. Thanks for stating the obvious," I muttered, poking my stomach. He laughed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I didn't mean it that way. Oh, but the fact that you're a little chubby is cute, though~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded and put a finger to my lips. "At least I'm not a fucking whore, unlike those guys."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Which guys?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""The ones I saw on TikTok." I mockingly swayed my hips, imitating the fuckboy users online./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio laughed. "Really, Lovino…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "Exactly."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He held my hips, and raised his eyebrows. "Well, you're certainly fitter than I'll ever be. Do you play any out-of-school sports?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Uhm, I play some soccer, I guess," I mumbled. "But I'm kinda clumsy, so…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"His eyes glittered with excitement. "I heard from Feli that you play at school, too. Can I watch you sometime?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "I don't see why you'd want to, but sure."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio smiled. "Why are you so self-depreciating? You're a wonderful person, you know."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And why do you consider yourself to be an incredibly flawed guy, which you kind of are – but why do you always think so little of yourself?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He laughed. "Good point. I guess we're both even in that area, then."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Off-topic, but I can't help but remember that on the day we met, you already saw me in my underwear, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio chuckled again. "Tomato prints."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And within a month, you got to see what was underneath." My face heated even more, and I clapped my hands against my cheeks in embarrassment. "Oh, god. Oh, em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"god, god, god, god."/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I certainly wasn't disappointed," he laughed. "You were tipsy. It's not your fault."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I try not to drink too much, though," I sighed. "My past keeps haunting me, so ever since I was fifteen, I started getting into the habits of drinking and smoking. Good thing I didn't turn into a fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"druggie/em. But I was pretty damn close."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He sighed. "That's awful. Smoking and drinking at fifteen? I'm so sorry."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nah, it's okay, man." I pushed back my bangs. "I shouldn't have let my memories and shitty thoughts take advantage of me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But you quit smoking, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "I used to have a few friends who would drink and smoke with me, but when it came to the point that they started nagging me to try drugs with them, I just ditched the group, dammit. I knew it wasn't going to make me any better of a person. A few of them even started having sex at fifteen, even if they knew that it was illegal."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Wiping away a tear, I looked up at him. "I still drink a little, but I promise I won't do anything to let you down, Antonio. I'm still young and stupid, but I'll do my best to be a good boyfriend."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio smiled. "You don't even have to try. I love you the way you are, and I love that you're trying to be a better person than what you used to be."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "Can I be honest with you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Go ahead," he said. "It's okay. I'm listening."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Sighing, I looked away in shame. "Ever since the night we first slept together, when I got drunk and experienced my first actual orgasm in front of you – I've been so fucking tempted to have sex with you. Not just masturbating with you like we did that night, but having em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"actual/em sex. Then I have to remind myself that I can't be the horrible person I used to be, and that I have to wait until I have your consent, until we're both legal, and when I'm legitimately ready for it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovino…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I slumped back onto the bed. "I know, I know, it's messed up, dammit. I haven't even turned sixteen yet, and you only just turned seventeen. We're both underage. But I love you so much, Antonio. I can't get you out of my mind – no matter how fucking hard I try. I always end up touching myself whenever I'm alone in my room."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"There was a moment of silence, and I tried to keep myself from bursting into tears again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's normal to have sexual thoughts at your age," Antonio finally said, laying his hand on top of span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanmine. "As long as you don't have sex, it's okay."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""So you don't hate me for it?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Of course not!" He looked at me as if I were crazy. "I have friends who have worse thoughts than you, you know!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. "That's good to know, then. But one question – were you drunk at the time, too?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio gave a faint chuckle. "I'd say so. If I hadn't had a sip of wine that night – I would've probably protested for you to have a think about it before you began dry-humping me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, god." I put a hand to my forehead, remembering how fucking carried away I had gotten. "I'm so sorry, though. It's a good thing I was able to stop myself from going any further."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Me too," he laughed. "But it's all good now, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah." A thought came into my head, and I tugged onto the sleeve of his shirt. "Hey…if the people of the Underworld end up executing me, what'll you do?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio raised his eyebrows. "Unless you don't abide by the contract for your eighteenth birthday, they don't really have a reason to kill you, right? You're the prince – the next heir after Arthur."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sighed. "Yeah, but…what if I didn't do it, and they killed me? It's a serious offence, especially that I'm the next heir. Even just avoiding the arranged marriage would result in Feliciano and I being publicly tortured."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He put his hand over his mouth in shock, and tears filled his eyes. "Lovino…why didn't you tell me this before?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I didn't want you to worry," I said, shaking. "I'm sorry, I should've told you earlier, dammit. But yeah, it's either that or death."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But I don't want them to hurt you!" Antonio said, already in tears. "There has to be another way!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I've been through worse," I said, shuddering. "Whenever I didn't listen to my older relatives – my seniors, they would physically abuse me. When I was at around ten, they did it so often to me that my body felt numb for over two weeks, from the pain." I winced at the memory./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""My seniors would tie my small, fragile hands behind my back, then they'd whip them with a long rod, forcing me to stay still – or else there would be more. Two more strikes were added every time I moved," I said. /spanspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""By the end of the day, my hands would be in tatters – torn flesh hanging off from the punishment – all because I misbehaved or was disobedient."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"I looked up at my boyfriend. "Antonio?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"By now, Antonio looked like he was about to pass out. All the blood had rushed out of his face, his eyes were dull, and his face was streaked with tears./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh, god. I've said too much./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Fuck./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I hugged him. "It's okay. I'll be fine. It's still a long way away before I announce to them that I won't be following through with that hell of an arranged marriage with my brother."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Then I'll come with you," he sobbed. "Even if I have to watch them hurting you and Feli, I'll stand by."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""If you say anything, they'll fucking kill you," I pointed out. "It won't help."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I don't fucking care!"/span/strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" Antonio screamed. "I love you, Lovino. I don't want to be fine while you aren't."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"His words hit me like a truck, and before I knew it, I was crying too. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'll find a way," I sniffled, clutching onto his shirt. "I'll find a way, I promise. As long as we're together, it's alright, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'll protect you," he whispered. "I'll do anything for you, even if it results in my death."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I threw myself into his arms, landing both of us onto my side of the room, on my bed. I pressed my lips against his and ran my fingers through his hair, feeling up every inch of his body./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My sobs were muffled as I set my head down on his chest, shaking uncontrollably. Antonio stroked my hair, whispering the usual sweet nothings to me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's alright," he said in an assuring tone, but I still continued to cry. "It'll be okay, because we'll always be here for each other."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I wiped away my tears. "I feel bad for Feliciano, too. He's always been so optimistic and joyful, despite his childhood in the Underworld. He doesn't deserve this because of me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But it won't be because of you," Antonio said. "Because Feliciano doesn't want to go through with the arranged marriage either. And time will come, he'll find his true love here on Earth, too. Besides, underneath the adorable, innocent exterior, he's a strong boy. I can definitely see it in him."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "That's true. Feliciano never really got disciplined by the elders, due to his obedience, even though he hated the Underworld as much as me. I still feel bad for him, though."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You guys are going to be tortured in public, right?" he asked. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah. We're of royal blood, so it's incredibly insulting to the people of our world to break a tradition. That's why I had to go through so much abuse whenever I did something wrong as a kid. Because they want me to grow up to be a strong man who can conquer our world – no matter how much pain and struggle I go through, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But it's wrong," Antonio said. "It's horrible."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I gave a sad smile. "Well, the Underworld em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"is /emliterally Hell."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""How unfortunate for you to have been born in such a world. I wouldn't wish it on anyone."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I promise, when I become king, I'll try to make the Underworld a better place," I said. "Even if it is Hell, I'll definitely do something about the torture techniques and disciplinary action. I swear my fucking life on it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio smiled. "You're a good person."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Shut up. It's common sense," I said seriously, though I couldn't help but smile too. "Whatever. Let's just end this conversation. I'm just glad you're smiling again, dammit."/span/p 


	11. Chapter 11

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Fucking hell. I thought we were going out on a em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"date./em"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio grinned. "We are! Except Feli and his friend Ludwig are with us~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But that's not a date!" I complained. "That's a fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"friend outing/em."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Veee,/em let's have fun today, okay?" Feliciano said, smiling. I snorted, and folded my arms in annoyance./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovino, try to enjoy yourself today, hm?" Antonio said, nudging me. "At least Clarisse isn't here."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That was pretty fucking close, though," I muttered under my breath. "She was literally begging us to take her along with us."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He shook his head, giving a faint chuckle. "Oh, Lovino."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My brother smiled. "It's nice, you know. The fact that you already have a boyfriend."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I tried to keep myself from smiling. "What, you thought that you'd get there first? Tch! Che palle, I am the older brother, after all!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feliciano's tall friend sighed, and I twitched. Today was our first meeting, and I already hated him. And we haven't even said a word to each other yet./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"How is that bastard so fucking tall and buff? He's Feliciano's age, isn't he? Fourteen, about to turn fifteen?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Fuck. That's a buff fourteen-year-old./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I'm like a fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"stick figure/em compared to that guy—/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Uhm." Ludwig looked at me. "Are you alright? Is there something wrong?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nothing's wrong, dammit," I scoffed. "Piss off, bastard."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Fratello!"/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" Feliciano said, gaping at me. He looked up at his friend. "Uhm! I'm sorry about my big brother, ehehe…" I could see the amount of awkwardness on his face, and I didn't give a single shit about it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I promise you we'll spend some time alone together," Antonio said, holding my hand. "So don't be upset that your brother is around, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grimaced. "The fact that Feliciano is here isn't what's pissing me off." I cast a glare towards the stoic German bastard, as the train stopped at our destination./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Antonio…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sighed. It was no use. br /No matter how much I complained, he'd always find a way to distract me from the fact that it wasn't just the two of us. That crafty bastard./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It came to the point that I was no longer interested in the 'date'. All I wanted was to get Antonio's attention. Get his eyes on me – and only me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio looked back at me. "We're splitting up. In other words, it's just the two of us now, until 1 PM."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My eyes glittered in excitement. "Really?!" He nodded, and I hugged him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's good," I giggled. "I'm so happy."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio smiled. "I'm glad that you're, uh…glad. What do you want to do?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm. Hold on for a sec."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I led him to a corner in the street, and kissed him passionately, sliding my tongue into his mouth. I held onto him tightly, gently grinding against him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We pulled away, and line of saliva parted from our tongues. Antonio let out a breathy sigh./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""L-Lovino," he stammered, "what if someone sees us? You know that homosexuality is frowned upon by many here in Japan."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I don't care what anyone thinks, dammit," I spat out. "I love you, and nobody can do anything about that."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He hugged me. "I love how you've become so open towards me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah, I—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio cut me off with another kiss, and I gladly obliged, playfully twirling my fingers around the curls of his soft hair, my hands travelling down to his ass. I moaned into the kiss, secretly wanting more./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh. You two are here, too?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Startled, we pulled away. I looked up, and saw Clarisse standing there./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Her hair was tied up in a bun, her bangs pinned to the side. She was wearing a loose cropped shirt and shorts./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I squinted. "Those shorts are so fucking short, dammit. You're fourteen, aren't you? What are you, a em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"thot?/em"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse glared at me. "And what are you two doing, making out in the middle of the street like that, you fat chungus? Someone might see you!" I began to heat up with annoyance./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nobody's going to see us, because we're in that one corner where nobody stops by," I spat. "And we were just making out."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, really? Because I saw tongue in there. You two were practically having mouth sex in public."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Get the fuck out," I moaned. "Don't you have anything else to do, rather than torture us?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio sighed. "Clarisse, do you mind? It's nice seeing you here, but we need a little space."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse sighed. "But I was going to—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Now." His eyes were filled with a sterness I had never seen before. Clarisse sighed and walked away, flipping the bird./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Thotty," I called back. I looked back up at Antonio, and grinned. "Are we going to do something, now?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah," he replied, kissing my forehead again. "Let's do something."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"By the time we were done, I felt too lazy to hang out with Antonio's family, and so we stayed in the dorms./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Does anyone in your family besides Clarisse know that you're dating me?" I asked. "I hope they approve, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio smiled. "Our entire family is Catholic, but they're the complete opposite of homophobic. They don't know about you yet, but I'm sure they'll love you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "Your family sounds really nice. Maybe I should visit sometime."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You can visit today, if you want," he replied. "They're staying in a small apartment here in Japan, until the school year finishes."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Wait, really?" I asked. "In that case…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Go for it," he laughed. "It's fine. We can go after Feli and Ludwig let us know that they're done. In the meantime, let's spend some more time together, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My fingers interlaced with his. "Okay."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Am I really more than a little brother to you?" I asked. "I feel like I've only been giving you 'little brother vibes' ever since the day we met, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio nodded. "At first, it seemed that way. But you're much more than that, Lovi."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I leaned in to kiss him. "You too, darling."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We thought about my last sentence for a bit, and chuckled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Sorry," I snorted. "That was fucking weird. Nobody says 'darling'."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Sure they do!" Antonio laughed. "It's perfectly fine."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I giggled. "Well, maybe old people, but I haven't even turned sixteen yet, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio laughed again, and held me close./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're so beautiful," he whispered in my ear. I smiled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Antonio," I said, nudging him. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yes, Lovi?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I inhaled. "Okay, this is going to sound fucking strange, but…what if I got Arthur to turn me into a human? So that I wouldn't have to live in the Underworld, and I could just live with you forever?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But won't they kill you for that?" Antonio asked. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""They'll definitely increase the level of torture, but it works," I said. "I'll be able to live as a normal human, no immortality or anything."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He sighed. "I don't know, Lovi. Sounds a bit sketchy to me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I don't know," I said, shrugging. "I'll think about it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Take your time, okay? I don't want you to stress over it a lot."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "Sure. I'll try to think about other shit."br /Antonio laughed. "That's reassuring."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Besides, I want to think about my life plans with you," I said. "What I want to do with you after we graduate."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Awww," Antonio gushed, hugging me. "That's adorable."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We could probably live in a cute house with a garden outside or something," I mumbled. "A mansion."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""A mansion is em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"cute/em?" he laughed. I snorted./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You know, one of those pretty ones. The mansions that still somewhat look homey. Oh, and I'd like for there to be cake shops near our place or something…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My boyfriend grinned. "You're so cute, Lovi."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I blushed. "Fucking hell, shut up. What're your plans for after we get married in the future, dammit?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We should have a biological kid together—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I choked. "How the fuck is that going to work? We're both men. We both have dicks."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well, you're a half-demon, aren't you? Can't you somehow make it work?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""NO!"/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" I burst into laughter. "Demons still abide by the laws of physics, dumbass!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"His lips formed a pout. "Aww. So that means you can't get pregna—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""NO."/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I cringed. "That's…disgusting."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're right," he laughed. "So…adoption?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You know how lesbian couples use sperm donation in order to have a biological child? Do gay couples use em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"egg/em donations? Is that even a thing?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Now you're the one not making sense," Antonio sighed. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""…I have an idea."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"With a smug expression on my face, I folded my arms. "We could donate our sperm to Clarisse and have her birth the kid."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He chuckled. "Why Clarisse?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Because she's em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"ANNOYING/em, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's too cruel," he laughed. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I snorted. "We're probably going to have the kid when we're at around in our late twenties, so it'll work."br /"But Clarisse is so small and delicate," Antonio pointed out. "Poor girl."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""LET HER SUFFER," I said, failing to hide my laughter./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio hugged me. "Your laugh never fails to make me happy, Lovi. It's so cute!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "I try not to laugh around others. It's so fucking embarrassing, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But it's adorable and unique," he assured me. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I rolled my eyes. "You like everything about me. I'm a fucking loser. I don't get it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're flawed, but that's what I love about you," Antonio said. "Your imperfections are what make you you. And it's cute."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I giggled, and laid on the bed, looking up at him expectantly./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I spoil you too often," he laughed. "Fine. I'll kiss you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I threw my arms around him as he kissed me all over, in between breaths and laughs./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Just thinking about the fact that I have such a wonderful and funny guy by my side makes me happy./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I fell in love with him shortly after the day we met./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I just never took the time to realize it, dammit./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I secretly wanted to be friends with you./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I liked you./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I loved you./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I love you./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ti amo./span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Please don't ever leave my side, you bastard./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"–span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanEND OF DEMON ARC – /span/em/strong/p 


	12. Chapter 12

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"POV (Antonio)/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It seems like a teenager thing, you know – to instantly start dating after you confess to your crush./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"That's how it went for my boyfriend, Lovino./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But he's dense./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And so am em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"I!/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But that's besides the point./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I never knew that it would come to this – everything that's happening to me right now. It's all just going so fast./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My crush (who I didn't even know that I was in love with) confessed to me on our first date, which was, remarkably enough, on Valentine's Day./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A month later, he gets drunk and strips for me, and stuff happens. Stuff that obviously wasn't sex, because I'm only seventeen, and Lovino hadn't even turned sixteen yet. Which was weird. But interesting./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Then he reveals to me that he's actually a half-demon from Hell, and so is his little brother./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Then we start making life plans./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And now, his birthday is in a few days, and I want to do something for him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sighed. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Get yourself together, Antonio./em It's not a big deal – you just have to do something on the 17th of March that'll impress your boyfriend and make him fall head-over-heels for you. It's easy./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…Right?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…Well, I'm em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"stupid/em, so I'm probably wrong./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino isn't exactly easy to please, even if he is my boyfriend. He's a bit of a…mood./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""The fuck are you staring at?" he asked, glaring at me. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"See?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled. "You."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Why?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Because you're beautiful, mi amor."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino blushed, and looked away. "Yeah, uhm, we had homework, and I forgot, and it's hard, and it's due tomorrow, dammit. Could you help me? I'm literally fucking begging you right now. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Please."/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Aww./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He's a mood, but he's definitely a cutie~/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "Sure, what do you need help with?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""This." He passed me his notebook, and sighed. "I hate anything that has to do with math, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"What a em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"mood./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But still cute~/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "Okay, so you start with this…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"If I had to describe Lovino in one word, I'd definitely have a hard time thinking of one./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"One word? Nah, that guy needs way more than one word./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Not that that's a bad thing./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I still don't know if I'm gay. I'm starting to think that I might be bisexual./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Or pansexual./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But I don't know./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It makes me happy just knowing that he's all mine, though!/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And nobody can take him away from me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Nobody./span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I mean it./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ugh, I don't get it," Lovi groaned, smacking his forehead down on the table. "I'm so done with this shit, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You've been overworking the past few days," I sighed. "Maybe you should take a break?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But I'm failing my subjects, dammit!" he complained. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I raised my eyebrows. "Which subject is the worst for you at the moment? I'm sure I can help in some way."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Spanish."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ah./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Good timing, then./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "Did you forget where I came from? You could've asked me earlier~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Stupid. I thought I could do it on my own, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovino…" I sighed. "You know, it's not wrong to ask for help. You're actually encouraged to ask for it when you need it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi frowned. "I've been dumb my entire fucking life. It's hopeless."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Now, now, don't be like that," I said. "You aren't dumb. You just need a little help, that's all."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I pulled out the textbook and pointed to a word. "Let's start with the basics. Can you tell me what this word means?"br /"Is this fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"third grade/em all over again? Hmph. It says 'em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"kiss me',/em doesn't it?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Congratulations – you got it right! Yay, Lovi~~~~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He snorted. "But that's common knowledge, dumbass. And where am I even going to use that phrase?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well, if you ever feel the need to kiss someone, then…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino grinned. "We're not really studying, are we? We keep talking about random shit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I gave a faint chuckle. "Of course. We'll get started on studying now – for real. I'll tutor you, until your grades improve, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I feel like I'll only get hornier rather than smarter if you're my tutor, but okay…" he /"Hm? What was that?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nothing." He looked back down at his textbook, blushing madly. I laughed to myself. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Fuck…I finished all the homework…" Lovino sighed, flopping back onto his bed. I grinned./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You sure did! Good job~" I clapped, and he giggled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You dork," he laughed. "I guess I'd better give you Italian lessons sometime."br /"I love it when you speak in your native language," I said. "It's beautiful."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi shrugged. "I already have a thick accent even when I speak English, so…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Teach me some basic words," I said, /"Uhm." He looked around in thought. "Ah. Vaffanculo."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. "Really?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Si." He stuck out his tongue playfully. "I'm too lazy to come up with any other words, hnnngh…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My boyfriend stood up, and smiled at me. "Liz and I went shopping yesterday. Wanna see?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Aww. He's so cute./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Sure," I replied. He nodded./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Wait here."br /"Okay~!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"After a few minutes, he came back into the room with piles of clothing in his arms. I raised my eyebrows. "Where did you get all of those?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""In Harajuku." He undid his tie, and tossed it to the ground, along with his pants. "We found a shop that had a bunch of cute clothes for both male and female, and I thought you'd like them." Lovi scooped up his uniform, and laid it on his bed. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Aw." I smiled. "I'm sure they'll all look wonderful on you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi grinned. "So…I bought these shirts, because they have tomatoes on them…"br /Ah. Of course./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He put on a shirt. "Does it look alright?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "You're so cute!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ahaha. Thanks." Lovi picked up a dress from the pile, and blushed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Uhm, Liz said that this would look good on me. I don't really like dresses, but she insisted, and awawwuwuwaaaaaa…" His face went red, and he fiddled with the fabric of the dress, a flustered expression on his face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled. "I'd love to see it on you."br /At my words, he instantly started attempting to put it on. I laughed to myself, as he quickly dressed himself./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The dress was short, just above his knee. And there's something about Lovino – even though he has the ability to look like a charming, well-built (and slightly chubby) guy, he has some fragile, adorable feminine points, too. Basically, he can wear anything and look good in it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The sleeves of the red dress had frills, and so did the hem. Needless to say, it was cute, innocent and flirty – perfect for a date./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He blushed. "I-It doesn't suit me at all, dammit…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's adorable," I breathed. "Of course, you don't have to wear it outside if you don't want to, but I personally love it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Uhm, there's another one, and it was also Liz's fault," Lovino mumbled, picking up a shorter black dress, stockings, and a garter belt. "I actually think I'll just wear this one at home. For specific future occassions." His face went red again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah. Of course." I nodded, also blushing. He wriggled out of the dress, and put the clothes aside. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"After he had gotten dressed again, he looked back at me. "Antonio?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Feliciano said that he's hanging out with his friends and classmate, Kiku, and apparently Kiku asked if we'd like to join them at his place."br /I nodded. "Sure, that sounds fun. Who's Kiku?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""His classmate." Lovino sighed. "Apparently they recently became friends. Here's the address."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Okay, sure! Tell him we'll be right there~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A few months ago, Lovino was able to return to human form again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"After the Magyk Clock had struck em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'666',/em he couldn't hide his wings, horns and tail for a certain amount of time. And so, I covered for him, and we told the school administrator that he was sick, and that I'd be looking after him, helping him with homework and stuff. Which worked, thankfully./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It also meant that we spent a lot of time together without anyone interfering, and that was fun. I learned that Lovino is actually a really good dancer. He can sing, too. I caught him singing while cleaning the room at one point, but when he realized that I was there, he totally snapped./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And then one day, I found out that Lovino's tail worked the same as his curl. I felt extremely guilty when I accidentally sat on it once, causing him to let out an ear-shattering scream./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We'd sleep together every often, and I learned that Lovino frequently gets nightmares about the Underworld, and so I'd sleep close to him, embracing him tightly, hoping that that'd do something. I'm proud to say that it works./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino would start crying in his sleep, and I'd hold him close, telling him that everything was okay. Then he'd calm down and fall asleep again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He's so cute when he sleeps, too. From time to time, he'll say little things in his sleep./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I heard from him one night that he was having a dream about us getting married. I must've lost a few brain cells or so from the cuteness of it all./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Sometimes, we'd hang out at Alfred's place, and stay in the treehouse in his backyard. Lovino and I would have the usual little conversations, and sometimes we would think of names for our imaginary (or future!) children. Many times, we had joked around with names like em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Lovina /emor em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Antonia,/em and that was fun./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Sometimes, Lovino would rant about the people at school he despises, like Francis, Arthur and Ludwig./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I understand why he would dislike Francis (though he's a great friend!), and Arthur is pretty sketchy and annoying, but Ludwig? Despite looking pretty scary, tall, and buff, I kind of like his organized and caring personality./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sat in the train beside Lovino, who had fallen asleep on my shoulder for a moment. As soon as he woke up, he looked up at me, and tugged on my sleeve./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Antonio?!"/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"There was some sort of relief in his face, and he started crying, hugging me tightly./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I had a dream about you."br /I smiled. "Oh? What happened?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You died. People from the Underworld came down to Earth, and they killed you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My smile fell. "Oh."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I promise I'll stay by your side," he whispered. "I was so fucking scared when I woke up – I was worried you wouldn't be around." Lovino started to cry again, and I held him close, comforting him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hey, it's okay," I said. "I'm here."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He looked around the train and wiped away his tears. "We're the only ones here…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah, it's getting pretty late, so there aren't really any people around."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled. "You made sure to bring extra clothes and food, right? Feli said that we'd be staying the night."br /"Y-Yeah." He nodded. "I did. It's going to be interesting – sleeping in the same room as my little brother for the first time in years."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino dug around in his bag, and pulled out an old photo. "This is from when we were still living with our parents. I was three, and Feliciano was two."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're so cute!" I said. In the picture, Feli was in his mother's arms, and Lovi was causing a racket again – running around like the mischievous boy he was – and still is. He was laughing, and his father was trying to get ahold of him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He blushed. "Nah. Feliciano is way cuter than me, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Don't you ever say that again," I said. "You're adorable."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He grinned. "And this is why I love you, you bastard."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Do you, uh, have any pictures from the Underworld? I'm just curious to know what it looks like."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"His smile instantly faded. "I did. But I burned them all. Too many bad memories." He shuddered. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I looked down at his hands. Sure enough, there were aging scars from the past – from when his elder family members would constantly abuse him for disobeying them./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi sighed. "It's not just my hands. My back and ass, too. There's actually one here on my forehead." He lifted his bangs. "That's why I'm so fucking ashamed whenever I'm shirtless in front of you. I'm not attractive at all, and the scars make it even worse."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I squeezed his hand. "You don't need to be so insecure. I love you for who you are."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But the scars…" He was trembling. "They make me look weak."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You see a weak boy, I see a strong man," I said. "Those scars show that you were brave enough and didn't give up – no matter how much was going on in your life. And I'm proud of you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He gave a tiny smile, and kissed me. "I love you so, so, fucking much. Never change, dumbass."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Chapter 11/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Veee, you made it!" Feliciano exclaimed, rushing over to hug us both. "How are you two?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We feel like em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"shit/em," Lovino mumbled. I laughed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We're great, thanks," I replied. "Hey, Feli – have you grown an inch or something in the last month or so? I feel like you've gotten taller~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He giggled. "Ehehe…really?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nope," Lovi scoffed. "He's still a midget."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm taller than you, though," Feli pointed out./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But I'm older than you," Lovino replied, casting him a glare./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh, no. I recognize this./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I have more siblings than Lovino, and so ever since I was little, I would often get into more fights with them./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ahem. And I am older than em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"all /emof you."/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A short Asian man walked through the doorway, and smiled. "Ah. Welcome. Please come in."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"This guy must be Kiku, I thought. He's older than us? But he's so…em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"little!/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"As soon as we sat down at Kiku's kotatsu table, Lovino inched away from Feli and his friends, and hugged me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What's with you lately?" I laughed. "You're not usually this…clingy."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He rolled his eyes. "Feli is with that potato bastard."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Who?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino squinted, as if to say, 'You're a dumbass! It's Ludwig!'/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ohhhhhhhhhhhh." I nodded towards the blonde dude next to his brother. "Him?" He nodded, cringing./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. "Don't worry, he's not a bad guy. I'm here." I ran my fingers through his soft hair, feeling up every strand./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Every strand./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Antonio…" He winced. "Hnngh…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm?" I ruffled his hair, and he arched his back, sweat dripping on the side of his face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Mm," Lovino moaned, a blush spreading on his face. "A-aah…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovi?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""T-The…The em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"curl/em…" he finally managed to say, looking around for something to cover his crotch./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh." I released my hands, and the curl sprang up again. That thing never stays down./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feliciano gaped at me. "Did you just touch…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nah, it's okay," Lovi quickly said. "He has permission to." He glared at me, and lowered his voice to a whisper. "Just give me a warning if you're going to touch it, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Wait…I have permission?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My boyfriend put his hand on mine and looked away, embarrassed. "You can touch it, but do it when there aren't other bastards around, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "Of course."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Great." He looked down. "Now I'm horny. I'm gonna go get something to eat. I'll be back."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You know, your curl is actually pretty fun to touch," I laughed. "It's so cute how it just springs back up like that, no matter how much I try to flatten it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Fuck you. That was embarrassing, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ahahaha, sorry~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He glared at me. "Don't you have some sort of an erogenous zone?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Me?" I thought about it for a while, then shook my head. "Nope."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""A sensitive spot, at least?" I could tell he was trying to repay me for touching his curl in front of Feli and his friends./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I felt my face heat a little. "Well…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Then that settles it!" He put down his wine glass. "Feliciano, we're going to borrow your room for a moment, excuse us~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I knew it!/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feli raised an eyebrow. "Eh?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laid on the bed, blushing. Lovino had stripped me down to my underwear, and he spread my legs out./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Why are we doing this?" I laughed. "What are you trying to get out of this, darling?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He licked his lips. "I want to find all your sensitive spots."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…Oh, dear./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Don't worry," he quickly said. "I won't have sex with you, or anything close to that, either. I'll just look around, and tickle you or something. Childish play, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Hm. I see./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""A-And maybe even kiss you," he stuttered, "but if that's too fucking kinky for you, then…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, please. Your first idea was way kinkier than that."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino grinned. "I guess that gives me permission, then, hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah," I said. "Go ahead."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He leaned in and kissed my neck, sucking at it. I let out a sigh. Though my neck isn't my sensitive spot, it sure feels nice./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"His lips stopped at my ear, licking the shell, nipping at it every now and then. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ah, that feels nice, too./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino poked my nipples, rubbing them with his fingers playfully. He put his lips to one of them and started to lightly suck it, causing me to twitch a little./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Dammit, where the fuck is it…" he mumbled, touching me all over the place./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He stopped at my hips and planted a kiss on it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My back arched, and I let out a loud moan. "H-HYA~!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi looked up at me and raised an eyebrow. "What the fuck was that?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I blsuhed. "T-That tickles…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He rubbed at my hip area, and I fought the moans, clutching onto the bed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino smirked. "I found it~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Y-You did," I breathed, grinning. "Good job."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But I want to play with you more," he said, undressing. "I want you to touch me, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…Oh./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sat up. "Lovino, we're only in high school," I said, laughing awkwardly. "We can't really do much…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Then kiss me," he demanded, lying on the bed, holding his arms out to me. "I want you. I fucking need you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Aww./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"How could I say no to that face?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grabbed his frail wrists, pinned them to the bed and started kissing him, making sure not to miss a single spot on his face. My right hand went down to his thigh, caressing it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ohhh," Lovino moaned, pulling away from the kiss. "I want more…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're so demanding," I laughed, planting little kisses on his chest. "If I could, I would. But I can't. I'm sorry."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I know that," he said, blushing. "It's okay. Just knowing that you love me back is already enough." He pulled me in for another tight embrace, and bucked his hips, moaning at the little touches./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled. "You're so cute when you're like this. So vulnerable."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm always vulnerable, though," Lovino breathed, panting in-between kisses. "There's nothing different here. Except for the fact that I'm so, so fucking horny."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I tugged onto his curl, sending him to life./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""More!" he moaned. "Touch me more, Antonio!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My hand covered his mouth, silencing his profanities. I smiled. He really is cute./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I licked the strand of hair, and he screamed again. He pointed down at his crotch, as if he were trying to tell me something. I released my hand from his mouth./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovi? What's wrong?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""C-Coming," he managed to squeak. "I can't take it anymore."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Okay. Think, Antonio. You are in high school. You can't have sex. You will be eighteen next year, but your boyfriend is still underage./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino sat up and slid down his underwear, jerking off his leaking cock. "F-Fuck…!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My name constantly was falling from his lips, as he came and fell back onto the bed. His cum was all over the pure white sheets, and some got on my face. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"When I thought he wasn't looking, I slid my finger on the spot and licked it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh man," he sighed. "I'm so fucking dead if Feliciano or his friend come back in here. I need to clean up, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. "A lot came out this time."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I haven't masturbated in a while," Lovino sighed. He looked up at me. "Don't you think it's weird? That I used to say that masturbating was disgusting, and that sexual thoughts were irrelevant until you were officially an adult? Look at me now. I'm a horny fuck."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Me too," I agreed, poking his cheeks. "And it's all because of you!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He giggled and hugged me again. "Dork."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Sex kind of scares me, though," he admitted. "Some people say that having your first time feels really good, but others say that it hurts. It makes it even worse that I'm a guy – it'll hurt even more."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laid down next to him. "When we do it on your eighteenth birthday, I promise that I'll be gentle, okay? So don't worry. You still have two years before you turn eighteen."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino smiled. "Thank you. I'll try not to be too loud, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Another laugh escaped my lips. "You're so cute!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's the fucking seventh time you've said that today, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"As soon as we had gotten dressed and changed the sheets, we walked out of the room, hand in hand (like Netflix romance) . Feliciano's eyes darted over to us./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You were really loud," he whispered, his cheeks turning pink./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Kiku looked at us frantically, his body shaking and everything. "Did you two do it in there?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed awkwardly. "N-Not exactly, but—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Did you change the sheets?! Did you clean up?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino nodded. "It's alright. We cleaned up."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Kiku gave a sigh of relief. "Good. Food will be done soon, so just wait at the kotatsu over there."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sat at the table, and Feliciano sat beside me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Did he tell you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I cocked an eyebrow. "Hm? Tell me what?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ahahaha." Feli's expression went serious. "Don't lie to me – I'm his brother, and I'm not as stupid as everyone thinks I am. Did he tell you about us? About the Underworld? The arranged marriage, the punishments, about the fact that we're not entirely human?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh, man. He's sharp./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah, but I promise I won't tell! He's been through so much, and I don't want to repeat what happened to his parents…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Good." He gave a tight-lipped smile of approval, with a hint of expectation. "Because you wouldn't want another war between our worlds, would you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""No," I replied. "That would be horrible."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feli returned to his usual smile. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you for knowing. I know that my fratello truly loves you. I told someone I love, too. And I know that he can keep a secret."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Just make sure that you can."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feliciano stood up and walked over to Ludwig, giving him a hug. He must be the guy Feli told, I thought./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My beautiful boyfriend sat down next to me, planting a kiss on my nose. "Hey."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"His curl was in the shape of a heart, still recovering from our previous activity. There were three marks on his neck, and I blushed at the thought of how exactly he got them. A new one was below, on his collarbone. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He caught me looking, and smirked. "You've got some, too. Over there."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino leaned in, and licked one of the hickeys on my neck. "You're cute."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled. "You're cuter."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He lowered his voice to a whisper. "To be honest, I can't wait for my eighteenth birthday. I want to know what it feels like to have your cock deep inside of me. I haven't even seen it yet."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My face heated at his words. "D-Did you drink too much again?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He giggled. "Maybe~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "How come you're so desperate all of a sudden? Also, be careful with the wine – it's not good to drink too much when your body is still developing."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, shut up. I'm going to be eighteen in two fucking years. I'll probably stop growing next year. It's no fun being sixteen – I can only finger myself, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alfred glared at him. "Bro."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What?" Lovi snorted. "You don't have to listen if you don't want to, Al."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Bro, you aren't sixteen. It isn't the 17th of March yet."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ignoring his friend, he leaned in to whisper to me again. "Maybe after we have our first time, I'll even try to top you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I blushed. "L-Lovino!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Uh, excuse me," Alfred mumbled. "My virgin ears can't take this anymore."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We're virgins, too," Lovino retorted, hiccuping. "You're just jealous because you're single, Al."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Excuse you – I'm dating someone! Stuff you! Yeet!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We all turned our eyes to the American. "Who are you dating?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Iggy! Arthur Kirkland!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I raised my eyebrows. "I thought it was Tyler."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Eh, we considered it for a bit, but it didn't work out. We're still totally bros, though!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What about you, Feli?" I asked. Lovino stared at his brother, listening intently./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feliciano blushed. "It's…complicated. I'm working on it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ooooooohhhh!" Alfred yelled. "Who's the secret person?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ehehehe, well—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It is not me," Kiku quickly said. "I am here to observe relationships, not engage in them."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""So we're all gay here, huh?" Alfred said./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm pansexual," Feli said, smiling./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino shifted around. "U-Uhm, I meant to tell you this earlier, but I'm bisexual, Antonio…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "Aw, you finally decided? I'm proud of you~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We all clapped, and my boyfriend rolled his eyes./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm gay," Ludwig said, breaking out of his stoic character. He smiled. "And there's someone in this room who I love very much." Feliciano blushed, and smiled to himself./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino snorted. "Hah. Called it. Also, don't you even think of going anywhere near my little brother, you bastard!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Don't be rude!" I whisper-yelled, earning a glare from him in response./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And I'm questioning!" Alfred screeched. "What about you, Toni?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled at the nickname. "Truth is, even before I met Lovino, I've been questioning my sexuality."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Here we go again," Lovino grumbled, though I could hear the smile in his voice./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sucked in a breath. "Even after I started dating him, I still didn't know. And it seems like I've finally come to a conclusion."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Everyone stared at me, waiting for me to come out to them./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I believe that gender and appearance are two of the most unimportant things when it comes to loving someone. Whether you're male, female, transgender, non-binary – it doesn't matter to me, as long as you're a good person. I think that makes me pansexual."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino broke into a big smile. "That's wonderful, Antonio. I'm happy for you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I don't really know yet," Kiku sighed. "But that's not on my mind very often, so perhaps it is not important."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETTTTTTTTTTTTT!" /span/em/strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alfred yelled. "HE CAME OUT, GUYS! EGGTONIO CAME OUT!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino raised an eyebrow. "Eggtonio?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sighed. "Alfred gave me two new nicknames – Toni and Eggtonio."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Gross," Lovino snorted. He glared at Alfred. "Call him em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'Eggtonio'/em one more time, and I will personally strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"fuck up your brains and burn them,/strong dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Wow," Feli said, eyes wide. "Scary."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ludwig stared at Lovino. "You look better when you smile. You should do it more often."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nobody asked you, bastard," Lovi retorted. "Fuck off."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""He makes a point, though," Alfred said. "You should smile more."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feli grinned. "Veee, you're cute when you smile, fratello!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino blushed. "It's fucking embarrassing, so you won't see me smile often. Besides, I have my reasons for not smiling. Other than my low self-esteem."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I held his hand in mine. "Lovi…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What?" Alfred put down his Coke. "What do you mean?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm sorry. All I do is fucking ruin everything, dammit. I'm going out for a bit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovino?!"/span/strong/p 


	13. Chapter 13

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I really shouldn't be allowed to talk," he mumbled, looking away. "I'm so em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"embarrassing/em."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I shook my head. "Sure, you let loose and almost spilled the tea about your past, but I actually like how open-minded you can be."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino snorted. "em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Open-minded/em andem style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;" kind/em are two of the worst words you can use to describe me, Antonio."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I don't think that's the case. You're a wonderful person. You're adorable, sexy, handsome, sociable around girls, and you make me laugh. Most men would be jealous of you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He blushed. "But I'm clumsy, stupid, short, and vulgar."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We all have flaws, Lovi," I sighed, patting his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. You can still improve."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi grinned. "You em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"always/em know how to make me smile, don't you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm? But I'm pretty sure you would've just shrugged it off if it were Feli or Alfred who talked to you about it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's the thing," he said, kissing me. "I smile around you because you're you. You understand me better than any of the other bastards, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino stood up. "Thanks for the, uh, pep-talk. I guess I'd better go back to the others."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "That's more like it!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feli looked at us, concerned. "Are you two okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""He's okay now," I said. "Nothing to be worried about."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino squeezed my hand, and cracked a tiny smile. Feliciano nodded./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Okay, that's good! You know, I'm actually really happy that you're dating my brother now~ You're the first person who's made him happy in a really long time."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi blushed furiously. "I-I'm not happy, dammit. I'm just…not pissed or anything."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Tsundere," Kiku mumbled, looking down at his comic. "Just like Taiga Aisaka."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Taiga who—?" Lovi asked. Kiku shook his head, and put down his book./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Forgive me," he sighed. "I am currently reading the Toradora manga, and I have been distinguishing the differences of 'tsundere' and 'tsunaho'."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I raised my eyebrows. "So, what's the difference?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"A tsundere/em is someone who is cold and mean on the outside, but gradually shows their warmer side to those they love, over time. They typically blush a lot and get very flustered."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We all looked at Lovino, who rolled his eyes and looked away./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Kiku looked down at his book. "And 'tsunaho' is someone who is so tsundere to the point that they are clumsy and somewhat stupid."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alfred broke down laughing, and I found myself trying to keep it all together, stopping the laughter from erupting out of me. Lovino gaped at us, mortified./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Is this a fucking callout post?!" he screamed, though I could hear the laughter in his voice./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Kiku adjusted his glasses. "Gomen nasai." He was also trying not to laugh./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I giggled. "Oh, Lovino. But that's just who you are, and it's fine. You make us laugh."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He rolled his eyes. "So I'm entertainment material?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""No," Alfred snorted. "You're not the joker of the group, you're just the…hmmm…how do I put it…" He began to chug the bottle of Coke again, much to Kiku's dismay./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Tsunaho," Feliciano said. "That's it, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hai," Kiku said, his eyes glittering with anticipation. "That is correct."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"There was a knock at the door, and Kiku stood up to answer it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""For goodness sake, Alfred, I'm your bloody boyfriend, and you forget to invite me, of all people?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Kesesesesesesesesese! I'm your brother, Lud! Your awesome brother! And you didn't invite me!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ohonhonhonhon…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""T-They told me to tag along because I'm his brother, it wasn't my fault…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Three guys stood at the door – Gilbert, Arthur, Francis, and this one dude who looked the exact same as Alfred, only his hair was a little longer, sporting a curl on the top of his head, and his eyes were a certain shade of purple./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Gil!" I said, grinning. Gilbert smiled triumphantly./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Kesesesesese! What're you guys doing?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You weren't invited, bruder," Ludwig spat./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Not that that matters! I am THE Awesome Gilbert, after all! Kesese—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""ALFREDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!" Arthur shrieked, running over to his boyfriend. "How could you possibly do such a thing – going off having a sleepover with these wankers and that Kraut – without inviting me, your boyfriend?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ah, I see. So he's the type of boyfriend who's a bit like an angry, frantic wife./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""U-Uhm, hi, guys," the 'Alfred-but-not-Alfred' guy said shyly, a little smile on his face. "I'm Matthew Williams, and I'm Alfred's younger twin brother. Those two told me that I should tag along, and I didn't want to at first, but they insisted…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""MATTIE!" Alfred screamed. "Bro, how's it going?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Glad to see you're finally asking," he laughed quietly. "You always forget about me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well, you're so quiet, anybody would forget about you! I'm still stoked that those two remembered you!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Gilbert grinned. "I couldn't forget about him. We're friends."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah," Arthur said. "I forgot he existed for a bit, actually. Dear me, I'm getting old, aren't I?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're in your second year of high school," Gilbert scoffed. "How does that make you old?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, high school," I sighed, as the three sat at the kotatsu. "The time to celebrate your last few years of youth."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Where you get socially and mentally judged behind your back," Lovino mumbled. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Where you're all alone and have nothing to do except hang with your two dumb friends," Gilbert sighed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. "C'mon, cheer up, you guys! What about you, Kiku? What do you like about high school?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, me?" The Japanese man looked up from his manga. "Uhm, the Otaku Club…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi raised his eyebrows. "What the hell are you even supposed to do in a club like that?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We talk about the newest episodes of certain anime, where we're up to, we sometimes draw our own manga or doujinshi, we go to conventions together…it is certainly worth a try," Kiku said, a small smile on his face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Weeb," Alfred called out. Kiku shook his head./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You cannot be a weeaboo if you are Japanese yourself."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Wise words," Arthur laughed, nodding towards Kiku. To be honest, it's nice seeing him having fun for once./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi's eyes shifted around to Francis. He grimaced. "Disgusting."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Where's Clarisse?" Feliciano asked, looking around for my cousin./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino frowned. "We didn't invite her. We can't have a girl at an all-dude sleepover, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "She eventually found out about our sleepover, and now she's having her own sleepover with Liz and her other friends."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A smirk spread across my boyfriend's face. "Antonio."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Do you know the location of the sleepover?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah, it's at my house," I replied. "My family's going to temporarily stay in a hotel until their sleepover is done."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino nodded. "Okay, listen up, you bastards." We all looked at him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We should crash the girls' sleepover."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Arthur wrinkled his nose. "Isn't that something that sixth-graders would do?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It is," Lovi sighed. "But it sounds pretty damn fun, doesn't it?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alfred grinned. "I'm in."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It sounds awesome," Gilbert agreed. "Count me in."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm neutral," Kiku muttered. "But I'll join."br /I laughed. "Lovino, really? Fine, I'll do it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""This is immature and stupid," Ludwig said. "Are you serious?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feli giggled. "I don't know. It sounds fun. You should join us, Luddy~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm. But I am not responsible for anything that happens."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Good," Lovino said, a smug look on his face. He turned his eyes to Alfred's twin. "Matthew? You in?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Matthew adjusted his glasses. "M-Me? Oh, but, um…we might get in trouble…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I could tell that Lovi was already at his boiling point, but he softened his features and sighed. "Matthew, it'll be fine, dammit. We'll, I don't fucking know – hide your body in the refrigerator or something if anyone calls the police. Which will obviously not happen. Duh."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I chuckled. Lovino has the best way of consoling people./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Okay," Matthew said. "I'll do it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We all cheered, and Lovino grinned, heading towards the door. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Antonio will point us the way to his house, and I'll lead everyone, because I'm less of a bastard than all of you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Why the fuck do you have a car?" Lovi asked Ludwig. "You can't drive yet. You haven't even turned fifteen yet, moron."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I saved up for it," he snapped. "I got a job early, and paid for it so that I wouldn't have to worry about it in the future."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I could see the envy in my boyfriend's eyes. "Mo-ron."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Does anyone here have a, uh, driving license?" I asked. Arthur raised his hand proudly./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Good," Francis said, "because you'll be driving, Arthur."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The Brit looked like he was going to explode. "Why me?! For goodness' sake, I'm still a P plate! What if I crash into a bloody tree or something?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Then that's alright," I said./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What if I crash into your house, you wanker?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled. "That's okay."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What if your boyfriend decides to get out of the car for a bit and then I accidentally hit him?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled even wider. "Then I'll kill you, with pleasure."br /Lovino flinched. "Antonio…what the fuck?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nothing would make me happier than to tear apart the flesh of those who want to harm my little Lovino—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Alright, that's enough," Gilbert sighed, waving his hand in my face. "Snap out of it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Francis sighed. "He's like that with his family and those he loves. He's very loving and protective – too protective. He bought a replica historical axe once – and he told us that he would use it if anyone were to hurt Clarisse."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""He was fifteen at the time, too," Gilbert added./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And it makes it even worse that he has a boyfriend now – his love for that angry boy is unconditional, oui?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ja."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. "You guys know me too well~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino inched away from me. "Please don't kill anyone."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, I won't. I have no reason to do so, at the moment."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He shivered. "Damn right."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We got in the car, and my boyfriend sighed. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He looked at me. "Do you really love me that much? To the point that you would kill anyone who gets in your way?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I shook my head. "If you were to leave me for someone else, I would be deeply heartbroken, but I would let you go. Now, if someone wanted to hurt you in any way, that's an entirely different story."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi blushed. "Oh…that's…flattering, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He looked around. "…Can I ask you something else?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Can I kiss you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino was looking down at his hands, and his face was completely red. I smiled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Go for it. We're at the back of the car, anyway."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Before I could say any more, he pressed his soft lips against mine, and trailed his hands all over my upper body. His tongue flicked against mine, and I could tell that he was getting used to this. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I couldn't help myself and started touching his crotch, feeling the growing bulge in his pants. Lovino's hands went to my own and rubbed it as he moaned into the kiss, running his fingers through my hair./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We pulled away and he smiled, with some sort of dizziness in his eyes./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I love you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It makes me so happy to hear you say that."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I want you to say it back." He was smiling./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh. I love you too."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino giggled. "You're so fucking oblivious, you know?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "My family and friends would tell me that all the time – that I'm a dense, oblivious person, that I wouldn't realise if someone had feelings for me, and that I probably wouldn't even realise my feelings for someone, too. And they were right."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"His lips brushed against mine, as he leaned in closer again. "But it's cute. I love that part of you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I blushed. "You think that I'm cute?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Sure. Who doesn't? Even your dumbass friends seem to think that you're cute."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, well…" I smiled. "I don't really know what's cute about me, but thanks~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi's face went red. "You know, before I met you, I've never actually thought of anything sexual. I never really made any dirty jokes or anything. I never even watched porn. I think it was only after we started dating that I began touching myself in private."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's okay," I said, kissing him on the forehead. "It was like that for me, too. Except I've never touched myself in private."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He grinned. "Because your first time masturbating was in front of me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Y-Yeah." I held his hand. "Do you think that our relationship will last long at all, Lovi? I feel like this is some sort of cliché teenage romance movie or something…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's so much more than that," he breathed. "It seems unreal at first – like a fucking fairy tale or something. But that's because it feels too good to be true. But you know what? We may seem like the perfect couple, but we aren't. We aren't perfect at all. We're the complete opposite."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. "That's reassuring."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi smiled. "Our relationship isn't perfect – and that's kind of what makes it seem more magical, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""How are we not here yet?" Arthur complained. "Is your house really that far?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I snorted. "It isn't far – you're just a slow driver."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My boyfriend smirked, and I could tell he was enjoying this./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It always irritates me that I'm so fucking short," he sighed. "My little brother is taller than me. Alfred is taller than me. The potato bastard is taller than me. The potato bastard's brother is taller than me. You're taller than me. Everyone is taller than me, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Honestly, what a mood./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled. "But it's cute. And you're taller than Kiku and Clarisse."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He rolled his eyes. "But they're Asian – they're supposed to be short!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're not necessarily white, either, so…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Not helping!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ahhh…well, imagine if you were as tall as Ludwig…with all those muscles…and you didn't blend in well with your friends…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ludwig twitched, and looked back at us. "I can hear you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "Sorry."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino grimaced. "Gross. No thanks, dammit. I wanna be hot, like you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"His words touched my heart, and I smiled. "Aww, that's so sweet, Lovi! Thank you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He looked down at his crotch. "Hm. I think I need a bigger d—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We're here," Arthur sighed, as the car screeched to a halt. "Get out."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ludwig glared at him. "If you do anything to my car, you'll be paying me big money."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Just get out of the bloody car, and be quiet! If the girls hear us, we're dead."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I never knew that you know how to pick locks, Alfie," Matthew whispered in awe, as his brother managed to creak the front door open./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alfred grinned. "Of course I can. I'm American. A-me-ri-can. Amer-I-CAN. I CAN. I—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's the worst fucking pun I've ever heard," Lovino snorted. "Okay, Gilbert, can you check if it's safe to go in?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The albino looked in. "Yup. Looks like they're upstairs."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "In Clarisse's room. C'mon, let's go in, while we can."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Arthur smirked. "Alfred, did you bring the Coke?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah, but it seems like a total waste to just spill it all over them…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'll buy you more," the Brit sighed, and Alfred broke into a grin./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I brought condoms," Francis said, holding up a bag. Lovino twitched in disgust. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Why, you bastard?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Francis shrugged. "My cousin is a girl, and she always freaks out whenever she sees a condom. Especially used ones. So I used to fill them up with water and toss them in her room, just to freak her out."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "That's brilliant, Francis."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi shrugged. "Eh. It'll work, I guess."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feli smiled. "Matthew and I brought food, so that we can throw it at them~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Matthew sighed. "I still don't want to get in trouble, but I guess it shouldn't hurt to have a little fun."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I brought my phone, too! And Bluetooth speakers!" Alfred yelled. "For music! To piss off the girls!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi laughed. "Alfred's music taste is so bad, it's actually pretty funny, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He looked at me. "Did you bring the tomatoes? They're the best part."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded, and held up the large bag in my hand. "Right here."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Good," he replied. "Let's go upstairs – but try not to make any noise."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You know," I whispered, "I love how your curl is always in the shape of a heart whenever you're happy or we do something naughty. It's so cute."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He blushed. "We're about to crash the girls' sleepover party, and you decide to tell me something as gay as that?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well, I find it cute~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino smirked. "I'll let you touch it more when we sleep."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""R-Really?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah, but nothing more than little touches. I'd rather have sexual dreams than end up dry-humping you in the middle of the night, in a room with other people, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned and followed him upstairs, with the others following behind us./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Seriously? This is what the girls do at sleepovers?" Gilbert scoffed. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The women were all sitting on the ground in a circle, asking each other questions. They appeared to be playing Spin The Bottle./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi cringed. "Disgusting."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I mean, we kinda do that, too," I laughed nervously, earning glares from the others./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My boyfriend leaned in. "I won't strip for you tomorrow if you're being a dick," he whispered./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I blushed. "H-How did you—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Anyway, we'd better start," he quickly said. "I'm getting bored here, listening to those bitches play sleepover games. Did you all fill up the condoms with water yet?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Milk," I said. "To gross them out even more. You know how girls are."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino grimaced. "That's grossing em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"me/em out, dumbass. Okay, do it already. I don't give a fuck."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You heard him!" Alfred whisper-yelled, looking back at everyone. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He burst through the door, and pointed towards the girls. "YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT! FIRE THE CONDOMSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Everyone pulled back the condoms back with rubber bands, and flinged them towards the girls./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse was the first to scream, and she jumped up onto the bed, avoiding the wet condoms. I threw a tomato across the room, hitting Liz square in the face. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We're under attack!" the Taiwansese exchange student Leon screamed, running around the room./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alfred ran all over, shaking the open Coke bottle, spilling it all over them. "YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino laughed, and threw three more tomatoes at Clarisse. I feel like she's become his favorite target./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Get back!" Natalya screeched, taking out three knives. "Get to the door! Escape, you idiots!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The next thing we knew, there were tomatoes, condoms, Coke, and knives flying around the room. The girls stepped forward, and started throwing pillows at us. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hah! Dumbasses!" Lovi snorted. "As if pillows could do any damage to AA—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Natalya threw another knife towards Lovino, and I ran forward, pinning him to the ground./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You really should be more careful," I sighed. Lovi blushed and glared at me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well, how would I have known that a fucking knife was going to hit me, dammit?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I rolled my eyes. "Darling, you were facing Natalya. You should've known. Come on, now."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He smiled a little, and kissed me. "T-Thanks…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We all dropped the items, and turned our eyes to Liz./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"She stomped over to the two of us. "How long has this been going on for?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""W-What?" I stammered. "What do you mean, Elizaveta?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Don't lie to me. You've been in a relationship with this guy for over a month now, right? You're in a homosexual romantic relationship!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino sat up, and glared at her. "And what the fuck's wrong with that? I think we have the right to love who we want, thank you very much!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I've never seen him this defensive before. It's kind of overwhelming…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"She started shaking. "It's…It's just so…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sighed. Was there really a homophobic person looming over us this entire time?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's so…WONDERFUL!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My boyfriend twitched. "Eeeh…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Kiku twitched. "N-No. Could she possibly be…one of emthem/em…?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Unbelievable…" Ludwig muttered./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feliciano's eyes widened. "N-No way…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"strongem"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatttttttttttttttttttt?"/em/strong we all screamed./span/p 


	14. Chapter 14

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I appreciate gays and all things gay," Liz proudly announced. "It irritates me that none of you have told me that we have a homosexual couple in our school – even more, a gay person in my class!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi twitched. "I'm bisexual, but okay…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh?" Liz asked. "Me, too. What about you, Toni?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Uhm, I'm pansexual—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Wonderful. Now, let's all hang out at Kiku's house, like you were doing just a while ago, hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanLovi and I gaped at each other. How the hell did she know?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Her lips curled up into a smirk. "I honestly don't mind if you two end up making out in the car, really. Feel free to do anything."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My boyfriend twitched. "Dammit, she's terrifying."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Because we couldn't all fit in one car, we split in half, and so one group went in Ludwig's car, the other in Liz's./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Unfortunately, people were quick to choose Ludwig's car – too quick, and so Lovino and I ended up in Liz's car./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"With Clarisse./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And the other girls./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And of course, we sat at the back again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We attempted to refrain from doing anything 'suggestive'./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Well, maybe a little kiss, but that was all./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi smiled at me. "You always say that I'm different from what you expected, but I find you more different than how you were when we first met."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Is that so?" I asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah. You're dense, but sweet. I thought you were ignorant of love, but you're the complete opposite, dammit. I should've known not to judge you based on our first encounter."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I hugged him. "T-That's one of the sweetest things you've ever said to me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi rolled his eyes. "Well, I have to be honest, don't I? There no lies when it comes to love."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's true," I said, nodding. "Good point."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Although…there's something that did end up being true," he said. "I always had a theory that you had a darker side. And it was true. Also, I thought that you looked hot, despite your personality. And you are – and you can act hot in some scenarios, too."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I blushed. "Oh. Thank you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We're here," Liz called out. We all stepped out of the car, in front of Kiku's house./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""There will be some rules," Kiku sighed. "As there are now many of us, the females will stay in that room—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""How dare you call us 'females'!" Liz screeched. "You shall refer to us as 'women'!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""They're the same fucking thing!" Lovino retorted./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""As I was saying!" Kiku said, looking even more worn out, "the women will stay in that room, and the remaining men will stay in this room here. Any questions?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The room was still and silent./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Very well. You may begin unpacking your items."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""WOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTT!" /span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alfred screamed, throwing out packets of junk food from his bag./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi grinned. "Dumbasses. Ah, well, I've been tired lately, so this shouldn't be too bad – engaging in a shitstorm like this."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Francis grinned. "Hey, Lovi…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled, and pushed him aside. "I'm sorry, but you can't use that nickname around him or anybody else. That nickname is specifically reserved for me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah…sorry…" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi flinched. "Uhm, well…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I was just going to ask," Francis said, "have you two done anything, well, suggestive at all?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My boyfriend cast a glare towards him. "No."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ah…denying it so casually…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Why would we do anything like that? We've only been together for more than a month, you perverted asshole. Do you think that we've really gotten that close in that little time? Mind you, this is my first time loving someone – and my lover is a man. I haven't considered what it really means to love a man, so how could I possibly share anything even close to intimate with him? Think of it this way – we're just a young couple, and an average one at that, too, dammit. People are attached to new things, but as time passes by, they grow apart, and the new things are no longer new. Stop assuming such things."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…Yikes. He's harsh./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"No mercy there, too./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Isn't this going a bit far, even for him?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"POV (Lovino)/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Think of it this way – we're just a young couple, and an average one at that, too, dammit. People are attached to new things, but as time passes by, they grow apart, and the new things are no longer new. Stop assuming such things."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"This 'Francis' bastard…he really pisses me off./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"No – almost everyone at this fucking shitstorm of a school pisses me off./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio laughed. "Ah, you're so straightforward, Lovi. Just as usual."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He was smiling, though I could see that he was slightly pained by my words. I looked away, trying not to think about what I had just said./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Are we going to do anything yet?" Alfred asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah," Gilbert said. "I'm so bored."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Arthur grinned. "We could summon spirits."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Veee!" my brother exclaimed. "That sounds fun~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yes," Matthew agreed. "Dangerous, but fun. Just please don't kill anyone here, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I looked back at Antonio, who merely smiled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Had I really said that much? Too much?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Antonio," I said, tugging onto his shirt. "I didn't mean what I said back there. I'm sorry."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's alright," he laughed, though I could tell it wasn't genuine. "I know you didn—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I know I'm stupid, but do you think that I'm that much of a fucking moron, dumbass?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He flinched. "Are we really going to talk about this now? Here, in front of everyone?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Does it really fucking matter to you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But he's right, isn't he? Even though everyone is occupied with their own business (demon summoning, apparently), we'd end up creating a scene…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Fine," I spat. "We'll go to the spare room."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're so stupid," I yelled. "Thinking that you can just hide it from me like that."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What do you mean—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's what I said, isn't it? Everything I said back there to your friend?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio sighed. "It is bothering me a bit, but—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm sorry," I sobbed. "I didn't mean all of that. I was just embarrassed."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"His features softened. "I know. There's no need to cry, darling. Come over here, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I hugged him tightly. "I'm so sorry…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Your words were harsh, but I know that you'll always hold the same feelings for me," he said. "You're the type who doesn't like to let go of things you get attached to. That's the way it is for you with your brother, too, isn't it?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I wiped away my tears. "But you're not the same as my brother. He's my family. I…I don't want to let go of you at all, Antonio. I'd never be able to recover if you were to leave me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio smiled. "I'll always be here for you, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm sorry I cry too much," I mumbled. "Dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm not surprised. I'd cry even more than you if I had a past like yours. And that's why I'll do everything I can to make you happy."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I kissed him on the cheek. "I love you, babe," I muttered under my breath./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He smiled. "What did you just say?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nothing. Let's go already, dammit. I wanna see if they actually ended up summoning a demon."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"On our way out of the room, Antonio smiled at me. "You know, I forgot to tell you this, but for some reason, I can't stop thinking about that time you wore that dress."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smirked. "What, do you have a fucking dress kink or something?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio grinned. "I just thought you looked cute. I'd love to see you wear a dress again in the future. But of course, that's entirely up to you~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Spoiled brat," I muttered under my breath. "I already promised you that I'd perform a five-minute strip-tease in front of you, and now you want to see me in a dress em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"again/em? Tch. I knew it – you really have been influenced by that perverted baguette bastard, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Aww, please?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hmph. Maybe." I cracked a smile. He's grown more desperate for me over time, just as I have for him. But I'm not telling him that./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Do you have any nicknames we could refer to you as?" Matthew asked. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alfred grinned. "I like to call him 'Vino."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I refer to him as 'Lovi', but that's reserved for me and family members," Antonio said./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I shrugged. "When I was little, my parents would sometimes call me 'Roma', because of my middle name – Romano."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovino Romano Vargas,"/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" Antonio said, smiling. "It suits you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""So you could call me either 'Vino or 'Roma', I guess. But I suggest not calling me 'Lovi' unless you're particularly close to me – otherwise you'll face the wrath of my boyfriend," I snorted, causing Antonio to let out a laugh./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feli smiled. "Our parents would call me 'Feli' or 'Vene', because my middle name is 'Veneziano'."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Woah," Alfred laughed. "How come 'Vino's stuck with a middle name like 'Romano', and then you've got something as fancy as 'Veneziano'?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My brother giggled. "I don't know."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I rolled my eyes. "Let's not forget that 'Lovino' literally means 'the wine' in Italian, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio grinned. "I still think it suits you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What, because I drink? Fuck off," I laughed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""No, it's beautiful." He smiled warmly. I looked away, for I was blushing again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feliciano smiled. "Though my big brother comes off as rude and vulgar, he's actually very sweet in reality. I'd say he does a better job of being a big brother than I do."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I blushed and smiled a little at Feli, who winked understandingly./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You have another brother?" Kiku asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah, Romeo. He's back in Italy, but he'll be coming to the academy next year."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I rolled my eyes. "Oh, em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Romeo./em That kid thinks he's practically an adult, but he's three years younger than me, dammit. He goes on and on about getting a job and becoming rich, but he's literally thirteen, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feliciano laughed. "Yes, he is a bit of a handful."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I always have to keep telling him, 'You're thirteen, you dumbass! Act your age – and hey, don't even fucking think about getting a girlfriend, I swear to God!' He's so annoying, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio chuckled. "I know how it feels – having to look after younger siblings. I've got quite a few."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But it's even worse for Lovi," Feliciano sighed. "Ever since our parents died, things were tough. Lovi and I moved to a different place with our grandfather, and Romeo stayed with our aunt – he was only a baby at the time."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "It got worse as we grew older. Feli and I moved to Japan to get into W Academy, and I had to look after him, because he was barely ten at the time. We ended up looking after each other, and now we live in separate apartments alone, whenever we're in Japan for the school year."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's awful," Matthew sighed. "But it's good that you still see each other at school."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yes, we were quite close when we were little," Feli said, recollecting his memories, smiling at the thought. "It's a shame things have changed as we grew."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's like that for me and Mattie, too," Alfred said. "Arthur and I were childhood friends – I was five, and he was seven. Since we were toddlers, I never really paid much attention to Mattie – nobody did, really. It was always me – because I was the troublemaker. I soon forgot about him because I always hung around with Arthur, and now I feel kinda bad about it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Matthew shrugged. "It's alright, Alfie. I'm used to being forgotten or ignored. Francis and I were childhood friends at the same time – but we didn't really talk much by the time I was in middle school. I started hanging out with Gilbert and Liz."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feli smiled. "You're all connected in a way. It's nice."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Except for us," I said. "We're completely different."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio winked at me, and I smiled. For now, our very first encounter would remain a secret between the two of us – unless Clarisse, Feli or his brother somehow managed to remember./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Matthew sighed. "Hey, you know that kid in Antonio's class? The Russian exchange student – Ivan?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alfred shuddered. "He scares me. I don't really talk about him much, because I'm always worried that he'll somehow hear about it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""He's really tall," I said. "He's like a fucking giant compared to the rest of us."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Francis shrugged. "I don't know, maybe we shouldn't judge people based on physical appearance. But you're right – there's something unsettling about him."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Arthur paled. "He gives off a dark aura. I always see it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""He always wears a scarf, too," Gilbert says. "Even in hot weather. He never takes it off. What's up with that?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I heard that it's really cold in Russia," Matthew said. "Maybe it makes him feel at home?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I don't know," Antonio said. "He's scary, but I kinda feel bad for him. He's always sitting alone, in class, in lunch, all the time. He's pretty lonely."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I snorted. "I'm not surprised. Did you bastards know that he keeps a metal pipe with him? I saw it in his locker."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yikes," Feliciano squeaked. "That's going too far…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And his little sister is even worse!" Alfred said. "Did you see her back there when we crashed their party? She was flinging knives everywhere! And not those disposable plastic ones for picnics – real ones. Real daggers and shit, man!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio sighed. "His entire family is insane. He's tall and possesses a dark aura, his little sister wants to marry him and has a collection of knives, and his big sister…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""His older sister isn't too bad," I said. "I gotta admit, she has some pretty fucking nice jugs."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alfred snorted. "Seriously, 'Vino? Your only opinion of Ivan's sister is that she has nice boobs?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What? I don't know her that well, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Matthew shrugged. "She's nice. I like how she's a caring big sister, even though her younger siblings are creepy. She's friendly, too."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""See?" Alfred glared at me, pointing at his twin. "Mattie actually has some pretty valid and wholesome uwu points about her, and all you can think about are her TODDIES."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Embarrassed, I waved my hand at him. "Okay, okay, I get it, dammit! Moving on!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Anyway, about Antonio's cousin, Clarisse," I sighed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Arthur raised his huge eyebrows. "The Filipino?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah. Don't you think she's pretty fucking weird?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Francis shrugged. "I don't know. She's cute."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You pedo, she's way smaller and younger than you, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, I didn't mean it in that way…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Matthew shrugged. "She seems a little hyper, but she's alright."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What are we, in third grade?" Arthur scoffed. "We should be summoning demons and faries, not talking about girls!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But it's an interesting topic," Feli pointed out./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""How so?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I rolled my eyes. "Are you fucking serious? Without girls, we wouldn't exist, you dumbass!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio laughed. "He has a point."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You Italians do nothing but flirt with girls," Arthur said. "You always have it so easy – you're able to find a girl just like that."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Except I found a em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"guy/em," I said, folding my arms smugly./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio grinned. "Are you just going to brag about it to everyone now?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Duh. I especially have fun flexing on my brothers, thank you very much. I called Romeo the other day and let him know that I have a boyfriend – and he was furious with envy. Hah! Sucks to be them~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feli smirked. "Uhm, there's actually something I haven't told you yet…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That you're gay? Yeah, we know. Old news, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Pansexual," he corrected me. "Oh, and that's not it – it's that I'm actually dating Luddy~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I dropped everything in my hands./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Coke spilled all over the floor, and a tomato hit the ground./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I have to go for a bit," I said, processing through my mind exactly what my brother just said. "I feel sick."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovi?" Antonio called out. "Baby, I'll go with you. Are you okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""No, I'm fine." I could feel the tears coming. "I'll be okay."/span/p 


	15. Chapter 15

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Of all the horrible things that happened this week, this has got to be the fucking worst./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My little brother, who I tried so hard and failed to protect, has a boyfriend./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And he just so happens to be dating the one person I hate the most./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Fucking hell./span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"So much is happening in my life./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My parents died when my brother and I were still toddlers./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My grandfather took me away to the Underworld without our consent – he just fled, just like that./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I had been abused almost every day of my life, up until I was eleven./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My brother and I were homeless for several months./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We were poor./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I've been assigned to go through with an arranged marriage with my brother, of all people./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And I'll be publicly tortured for an entire day if I don't do it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My boyfriend is always too concerned for me, and I feel bad./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He's going to study abroad after graduating – and I won't see him for more than five years. Hell, he'll probably be on the strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"other side/strong of the fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"world./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And now my brother is dating the person I despise most in the entire world./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Think, Lovino. Why are you still here? Why are you still living?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"You'll never die, Lovino. Because you were lucky enough to be born immortal./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But the one I love is a em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"mortal./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And I don't want to make him suffer by converting him to be a demon like me. He doesn't deserve to suffer in the Underworld./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But I'm a half-blood. I can't die based on accident, I can only die if I'm being executed by someone from the Underworld, or if I choose to take my own life./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I can choose./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I can kill myself./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"So why haven't I done that now?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I've hated myself, I've hated my entire life for so long./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"So why hasn't it come to my mind – that I could do it, just like that?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"All I do is make everything harder for everyone./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I probably never thought of killing myself because I'm so fucking ignorant./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Yeah, that's right, I'll say it again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I'm an ignorant bastard./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I am useless./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But I'll end that now./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Goodbye./span/p 


	16. Chapter 16

**_*TW: Suicide attempt scene. Please don't read this chapter if you are sensitive to these topics.*_**

**_9:29 PM_**

Making sure that nobody was following me, I made my escape through the window, and quickly boarded a train to my town.

I slammed the front door of my apartment shut, breathing heavily. Right now, I was going to make everything easier for everyone. It was all going to end here.

Tears ran down my cheeks, and I slumped down, shaking.

As if I were being possessed, I opened the drawer without hesitation, and pulled out a kitchen knife.

I made three cuts – one on my left arm, two on my right.

Wincing in pain, I walked into my room, and locked the door.

For a previous class project, Antonio and I had bought some rope, and there were still some leftover.

But…wouldn't hanging myself shock everyone? They'd see my body just hanging there…wouldn't that be too…

No matter, dammit. I've locked the door of the apartment, anyway. Nobody's bound to find me.

As soon as I had wound the rope into a noose, I hung it on something above my door, and stepped up on the chair.

I'm going to assume that my face was blank as hell. But that doesn't matter, either.

**I'm going to die today.**

At my own hands.

I kicked down the chair, then realized in horror what I had done wrong.

I was supposed to _jump,_ so that my neck would immediately snap, and it would be a quick death.

Instead, I merely just kicked the chair.

But someone like me deserves to die a slow and painful death, right?

…It _hurts._

The rope tugged against my neck, and I struggled to breathe.

I thought of all the bad things that had happened in my life – from the war to the potato bastard taking away my brother for himself.

I would _never_ have to think about those things again.

You would think that I would end up being reborn again in the Underworld, but being a half-blood demon, they would burn my soul.

I'd never have to see the potato bastard and all those horrible people ever again. I wouldn't have to be verbally and physically abused by my relatives.

I'd never see any of them again.

I'd never see my little brothers, calling out my name and asking if they could help me cook dinner.

I'd never hear Clarisse screaming at me ever again. Or laughing, for that matter.

I'd never hear the sound of Antonio's laugh or see his smile ever again.

And even if he never found my body in here, he'd eventually find out.

And I can't bear to think about the pain he would be going through then.

I was only thinking about my own life.

I didn't think about how it would affect those around me if I died.

I'm so fucking…_selfish!_

I…

I

I

I

I

I

I want to be with him again.

I want to stay with him.

I don't want to die.

My hands reached for the rope, struggling to undo my mistake.

Tears ran down my cheeks, as I attempted to get out of what I had done.

Time was running out. Before another thought got to my head, I'd be dead by then.

My nails scratched the rope, and I couldn't do it anymore.

As my vision went black, the last few moments spent with Antonio flashed through my mind.

**_9:30 PM_**

**_POV (Antonio)_**

**"****Lovino?!"**

I had looked for him in all the places I could possibly think of. When I had gotten to the train station, I found the cell-phone charm I had given him on one of our dates.

It was definitely his – it even had his name written on it in a small corner.

He must've boarded a train back to his apartment, I thought. I may be oblivious, but I'm not stupid.

Alfred came with me – in case anything had happened to his best friend, and in case he had to pick any locks again. He's a chaotic guy, but a good man, too.

As soon as we were in the next train, I began to worry. Was he going to be okay? The look in his eyes just then was different to the usual expression he always had whenever something was wrong.

Alfred sighed. "His door is locked. I'll have to pick it."

He stuck a bobby pin into the keyhole, and kicked the door open.

"I've always wanted to do that," he said, laughing humorlessly.

"Lovino?!" I called out, running inside.

"Antonio." Alfred looked at me. "You'd better see this."

In the kitchen was a knife. Blood was scattered across the floor.

I felt my stomach lurch. "Upstairs. **Now."**

Alfred kicked open Lovino's bedroom door.

_"__Shit,"_ he cursed.

And then I screamed.

An ear-shattering scream, it was probably the first time I had any reason to scream at all.

"This can't be real," Alfred said, shaking. "This isn't real."

He moved in closer. "Antonio, this was only done about a minute ago, and I can tell that he did it wrong. He forgot to jump."

"That's fucking **_meaningless _**to me!" I yelled. "The love of my life killed himself, and you're trying to tell me that—"

"Listen to me. He's alive."

Those words fell from Alfred's lips, and all of a sudden, nothing mattered anymore.

Was he really…

No. He can't be.

He's dead, and it's all my fault.

I should've known that something was wrong.

The way that he would go quiet every now and then.

How he would stay in the dorms for long periods of time.

I looked at my boyfriend, who was merely hanging by a rope. He appeared to be still and lifeless, but sure enough, I could see it in his eyes that he had only passed out.

I hope.

Because I'll never forgive myself if he's dead.

Alfred swiped a knife against the rope, and Lovino limply fell into my arms. I broke down into sobs, holding him close.

The American looked at me. "We need to get him to the nearest hospital possible. I'm pretty sure he's still alive."

Cuts were scattered across his arms. I sighed.

"Lovino, why did you do this to yourself?"

"He should be alive," Alfred said. "He should be. I'm sure he can be revived."

**_POV (Lovino)_**

My eyes fluttered open.

A beeping sound.

A light.

And my boyfriend.

My boyfriend…

"I…" I managed to choke out.

**"****Lovino, do you remember who I am?"**

Memories resurfaced, and I found myself in a pool of thoughts again.

The day we first met at school – at the entrance ceremony.

The day his family gave Feli and I an entire house all to ourselves after we ended up homeless on the streets.

The night I kissed him while he was asleep.

Our first date.

Our confessions.

Our real first kiss.

The night I got drunk and almost had sex with him.

How he would always be there for me, no matter what mean things I said to him.

**"****Antonio…"**

He broke down, sobbing like crazy. "Thank goodness…"

It was the first time I saw him cry this much – he was practically bawling, holding my hands tightly and shaking. Tears filled my eyes, and I sat up, wincing at the slight pain.

I took him in for what was about the billionth embrace we've ever shared in our lives.

"I'm sorry," I sobbed. "I didn't mean to make you worry. I'm so fucking _sorry."_

Antonio kissed me. "You should be. I almost had a fucking heart attack when I saw you. Alfred was in tears, too."

I jolted up. "Is _he _here, too?!"

"Yeah, but he stayed outside. We wanted to give us a little space. But let me tell you, the look on his face when they informed us that you were alive was priceless. He started crying on the spot."

"Oh my god," I said, feeling the tears coming again. "I'm so fucking stupid."

"The only thing that matters right now is that you're okay," he whispered, hugging me. "Please don't do that ever again. I'll punish myself for it."

The thought horrified me, and I nodded, kissing him again.

**"****I ****_promise,_**** dammit."**

When I got back, most of them were crying of relief. Even Matthew, who had only met me recently. He's a good guy.

"Why would you do such a thing?!" Matthew exclaimed, his face stained with tears. "You're a good person, and we all know it!"

He broke down again, hugging me. I smiled. "Hey, I'm alive. It's fine."

Liz smiled, and wiped away a tear. "He and Clarisse were barely consolable. When Antonio sent us a text about what happened, they broke down."

Clarisse looked away. "I did not."

I rolled my eyes. "Of course."

She gave up, and threw her arms around me. "I…I'm so happy that they were able to revive you."

I hugged her tightly. "Thank you, Clarisse."

"Ah, I just need to go and run some errands," Antonio said. "I'll be back."

"I'll come with you," I offered.

"No," he replied. "You need to rest. I promise I'll be back, okay? Then we can do whatever you want."

I smiled. "Okay."

The rest of the night was spent well.

Alfred and Clarisse had tried building a fort with pillows, but my brother accidentally kicked it down.

Arthur attempted to summon a demon, but we were too loud, so he got angry.

He tried again, and it was going well.

Until Alfred ruined the silence by picking the quietest time of the room to rip a fart.

That dude ate nothing but McDonald's and Coke the entire day, so it stank.

And I almost puked again, so Antonio carried me to stay upstairs until the smell went away.

"Geez, Alfie," Matthew complained. "Lovino just came back from the hospital. He's tired and weak."

"And pissed," I added. "So fuck off."

Antonio cracked a grin. "You're already slowly getting back to normal, aren't you?"

"Damn right, I am. Before you know it, I'll be horny again."

Francis raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure that you two haven't done anything more than just a kiss? Sexual things?"

"We're underage by one and two years," Antonio pointed out. "We can't have sex."

"Well then, some sort of sexual pleasure other than sex?"

Damn, this bastard is sharp.

I blushed. "Let's just say that we've had our fun a few times."

Gilbert whistled, and Feliciano gasped.

A smirk crossed my lips. They didn't know.

We ended up watching a few movies, and I flicked on a few of my favorites – Mean Girls and Love, Actually (even if it isn't anywhere close to Christmas, dammit.).

Antonio grinned. "It's good that the others decided to sleep in the spare room, isn't it?"

I smiled. "They wanted to give us space. Convenient."

He hugged me. "So, are you going to do that ever again? Harm yourself like that?"

"Knowing that it'll result in you hurting and blaming yourself, fuck no."

Antonio giggled. "You really are adorable."

"Ah," I said, wincing. "Careful." I held up my arms. The cuts were covered up with Clarisse's Hello Kitty bandaids. "Arms."

"Ahahaha! I see she found out about your arms."

I rolled my eyes. "I '_very_ _politely'_ declined, but she still went through with it. She's like an annoying sister, dammit."

"I definitely can see you two having a brother-sister kind of relationship," he agreed.

I sat up. "How did you know? That I was in my room, and that I attempted suicide?"

"I didn't know that you tried to kill yourself," he replied, his expression sad again. "I was worried about you, and so was Alfred, and so we rushed to your apartment. Alfred picked the locks, and we found you hanging there."

Tears filled my eyes again. "I'm sorry you had to see that, dammit."

"It wasn't a nice sight," he sighed. "I felt like I was going to pass out."

I wrapped my arms around him. "I won't do it again. I promise."

A thought wandered into my head again, and I looked at him.

"How did Alfred even cut the rope? Where'd he get the knife from?"

Antonio sighed. "He stole one from Natalya, while she wasn't looking. He thought that it might come in handy. Which basically means that he just wanted to look cool."

I laughed. "That bastard. That's just like him, too."

He kissed my forehead. "I thought I was never going to see your smile again, or hear you laugh."

"Me, too," I sighed. "I was so fucking scared."

"Your smile and laugh are two of my greatest treasures," Antonio said. "Because they're something others rarely see, while I get to see both every day."

"I still feel like Feliciano's cuter than me somehow, and I have too many imperfections, but okay."

He shook his head, disagreeing.

"Darling, your imperfections are what make you perfect."

His words touched my heart and I giggled, hugging him again.

"Let's sleep now," I said. "I'm tired."

"Yes, let's. We've both had a long day."


	17. Chapter 17

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"POV (Antonio)/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The smile on Lovino's face when I had promised to take him out on his birthday was one that I would never forget./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And, well, time flies./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It is now the 10th of March, and I've been looking around for presents for him and his brother./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It's interesting, really – Lovi and Feli are one year apart in age, yet they have the same birthday. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"They look so similar, though. I used to think that they were twins, until Lovi started bragging about being older than Feli by one year./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Which of course, resulted in Feli smugly pointing out that he's actually more than two inches taller than his big brother./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Which sent Lovi into em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"hysterics./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Honestly, those two. They remind me of Clarisse and I when we were small./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Then again, we still sometimes fight like that, so I know how Lovi feels./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My boyfriend looked back at me. "Hey…you've been looking pretty damn stressed for the past few days. You okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "I'm alright, there's just a few things on my mind."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Dumbass."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Eeeh?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino rolled his eyes. "We just came back from school. You shouldn't be looking so fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"depressed."/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled. "Aww. You're concerned?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He blushed. "Well, you've been overworking yourself lately. It's already enough that you've got a part-time job, but you're studying way too much…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Better than sleeping the entire day, or ranting about the people you hate from school."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hey! Is this a fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"call-out post?!/em strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Chigiiiiiiii!"/em/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. "Lovi, you never fail to entertain me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hmph. I still think that you should so something you enjoy."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Like being with you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He cracked a smile. "Dumbass."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ah./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Well, we did end up going on another date, but…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Why does she have to be here?" Lovino complained./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse glared at him. "em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Putang ina mo!/em It's a good thing I'm here, you know! Now we can do something that isn't boring for once."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You think that our usual dates are boring?" I laughed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Of course. You two went to see a romantic movie together, and I saw a horror movie with Liz and the others. Morons."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi stuck up his middle finger. "Horror movies, my ass. You guys probably watched the sequel to em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Goosebumps."/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, let's not fight," I said. "How about we go shopping today, hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse nodded, and Lovi rolled his eyes in annoyance./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""So, have you two had sex yet?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino grimaced. "We're underage. What do you think?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, but you seemed like the type who wouldn't care about being one or two years off…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm not a manslut," Lovi pointed out. "I'm not a fuckboy or anything like that."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "Yeah, he's not a slut, Clarisse. He's em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"my/em sl—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ahem," Lovino said, realizing my awful joke. He looked away, and I could see that he was trying not to laugh. "Are we going to do anything yet?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hey hey HEY!"/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hey."/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hello!"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Shut the bloody hell up, won't you three?"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Four dudes from school stopped in front of us, and I smiled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hey, Alfred. I didn't know that you guys would be here, too. You doing anything?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nah," he replied. "Just chilling with Arthur and the twins. You?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nope! Why don't you join us?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"All the color in Lovi's face seemed to drain out for a second. "No—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ahahahaha! Sure! That'd be great, man!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The twins high-fived, Arthur rolled his eyes, and Lovino walked behind Clarisse, shielding himself away from the three child-like men./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Aw, Lovi, don't go!" I said. "It's okay, they're friends~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I know that they're friends," Lovino snapped. "But why is Arthur here?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Arthur glared at him. "I beg your pardon? Do you not know that I am Alfred's boyfri—"br /"On second thoughts," Tyler quickly said, "maybe we should all split up and do our own stuff for a bit, then we can meet up for lunch. How about Clarisse goes with Arthur and Alfred, and you two can spend time with us, for a change?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I raised my eyebrows. "Is that really okay, Tyler? You and Alfred are best friends or something, aren't you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nah, it's okay. We spend too much time together anyway – it even sometimes gets on Arthur's nerves. He's a hypocrite, though – because Alex is always spending time with HIM."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi grinned. "Hm. I mean, I was practically anti-social before I met Antonio, dammit. I thought I hated him from the beginning."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. "You literally em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"screamed /emat me on the day we officially met. How could I forget?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Tyler raised his eyebrows. "You screamed at him?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Was it because he did something gross?" Alex asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi shook his head. "I thought he was probably a dickhead."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, well, I did say a lot on our first day…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He blushed. "You were too charming, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled at his words, as we started walking./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""How long have you two been dating?" asked Tyler./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I thought for a bit. "About two months, already, I think."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi blushed. "I can't believe we started dating one month after we met. Don't you think that sound a little weird, dammit?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Not at all. You were quick to charm me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Do you think Clarisse has told anybody from your family about us yet?" he asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hmm," I said. "I haven't thought about that. I'll probably text /spanspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;"João and ask him about it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;""Who?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;"I shrugged. "My brother. Out of all our siblings, he's the one I talk to the most."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Shortly after I sent the message, I immediately got a notification reply./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I twitched./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What's wrong?" Alex asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""He didn't know, and nobody knew, either, and now he's thinking of telling everyone."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Tyler snorted in laughter. "Why'd you have to ask him about it?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino turned an even deeper shade of red. "T-They're fine with you dating a guy, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""He says that my mom says that you should come over sometime," I sighed. "Apparently the entire family is excited that I've finally got someone. They're completely ignoring the fact that you're a guy."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Tyler grinned. "That's great news, Antonio! You should totally let him come over sometime. And us, too, maybe."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alex shrugged. "Tyler, can we go to that store over there?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Why?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Because they have new merch for BTS."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You go right ahead, then," Tyler snapped. "We're busy here, trying to look for something fun to do."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi shifted around. "K-Pop isn't too bad, dammit…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Too bad, my ass," Alex snorted. "When you found out about my BLACKPINK obsession, you couldn't stop talking about them for ages."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Bye," Tyler muttered./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"WARNING: LIL BIT OF SMUT very very little lmao BUT YEP JUST A WARNING/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"As soon as we got back to the dorms, Lovino let out a sigh, sat next to me on my bed, and gave me a hug./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He glanced at me. "So, apparently the age of consent in some countries is 16…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "You're getting tempted again, aren't you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hell, yeah. If I'm legal in other countries, maybe I should just go for it already."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Speaking of which," I began, "did you know that the age of consent in Japan is 13?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino stepped back. "What the fuck?! That's so…that's so fucked, dammit! Why would you even…"br /"I know right," I sighed. "It really is messed up."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But I'll be sixteen in a week," he pouted. "Can't we do it soon?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""When you're eighteen," I sighed. "Don't forget that I'm underage, too."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, yeah. Oops." He looked around. "C-Can I at least…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He shook his head. "Nah, it's fine. Sorry. I'm just being horny again, dammit. Hormones."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled. "It's alright. I can still touch your curl though, right? It's fun to touch~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi nodded. "Just give me a warning when you're going to do it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, I was actually about to ask you something – do you only revert back to demon form when the clock is on theem style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;" '666' /emsymbol?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nah," he replied. "I can actually turn into a demon whenever I like. When the clock strikes em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'666',/em it just means that I can't hide my wings for a while. And the process is more painful."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He squinted, and two tiny horns popped out from either side of his head, followed by a pair of wings and a tail. "See?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I giggled. "You're so cute."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's embarrassing," he scoffed. "I look like an idiot."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're an incubus, right? The male equivalent of a succubus?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi nodded, and positioned himself on top of me. "Yeah, I am." A smirk came across his lips, and I knew what was coming next./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I did promise you that I'd strip for you, didn't I?" he laughed. "Ah, well. A promise is a fucking promise, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He stood up, and tossed his tie to the ground, unbuttoning his shirt. The hickeys on his neck could be seen, and I blushed at the thought of it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're already looking pretty fucking shameful down there," Lovi said, looking down at my crotch. "I've only just started, you perverted bastard."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I can't help it," I laughed. "You're too cute!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He teasingly gave a little sway of his hips, and put his fingers under his chin. "Hit or miss, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I snorted in laughter. "Are you supposed to be turning me on, or making me laugh?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""The fuck do you mean? Memes make everything hot. Hell – I bet Big Chungus has a better ass than me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""LOVINO!" I exclaimed, gasping for breath. He let out a laugh, and began unbuckling his belt./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I raised my eyebrows. "Flag boxers?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He blushed, hiding his underwear, which was printed with the flag of Italy. "Hey, I accidentally saw your underwear stash in your drawer, dammit! And there were fucking tomato prints in there!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, so you did. You didn't happen to see anything else in there, did you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Only a few photos of me," he muttered under his breath. "Some obsession you have there. Weird flex, but ok. Dammit, I should've worn black. I ruined the mood with these."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I shook my head. "You know, your erection is more visible, now that you're wearing flag boxers. It's cute."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hnnngh, don't say shit like that! It's embarrassing!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi crawled onto the bed, over me. "I want you to touch me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I chuckled. "So demanding. Sit up. Until this session is over, you're mine, and only mine."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino heated at my words, and willingly did so, as my fingers teased his nipples. He let out a little sigh, tempted to rub himself./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Tell me, how do you like to pleasure yourself?" I whispered into his ear, rubbing the tiny delicate pink nubs, erecting another moan from his lips./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I-I em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"jerk off,/em dammit! What else?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smirked. "There's got to be more than just that, darling. The look on your face says it all."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Fine. I-I sometimes stick my fingers up there, but I mostly touch myself down there…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Down here?" I asked, slipping my hand underneath his undergarments./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""A-AH!"/span/em/strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" he yelped. "N-Not em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"there,/em dammit! I'm sensitive there…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're sensitive everywhere, aren't you?" I asked. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Y-Yeah…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I pressed my lips to his neck. "That turns me on even more, you know."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're being so fucking cheesy, yet I'm still horny," he moaned, as I jerked him off underneath his boxers./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He got on his knees, and I slid off his underwear with my free hand./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I let go for a bit, and went in front of him. "Lovi…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino laid down on the bed, smiling. "We locked the door, so it's okay, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah," I said. "Let's just hope that nobody hears us. You have to be a little more quiet, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Take me," he moaned. "I can't wait any longer…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "Good things come to those who wait."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He frowned. "Oh, give me a fucking break…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're so beautiful," I said, caressing his sides. "I don't understand why you're so insecure of your appearance."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He merely laughed, holding my face in his hands. "The only thing that matters right now is that I'm here, with you, dammit. You're the one who made me smile for the first time in years."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi sat up, and slowly pulled off my shirt. His face reddened. "Oh."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm? What's wrong?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nothing," he muttered. "Except I'm starting to believe in my theory even more now."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Theory?" I asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""My theory that you have a dick so huge, I'll be tugging at the sheets when I have my first time," he calmly said./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""…?"/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He covered his mouth. "Oh, god. I'm so fucking sorry. I don't know where that came from…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I shrugged. "Do you want me to be honest?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Are you going to disappoint me?" he asked, trying not to laugh./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well, if your expectations are above eight inches, then…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi's blush darkened even more. I laughed to myself. He kinda looks like a tomato right now./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"E-Eight/em inches?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""About that, yes," I said, also blushing./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino put a hand to his forehead. "And you're only seventeen?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Please be gentle," he sighed. "When we have actual sexual intercourse for the first time, I mean."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "Of course I will. Wait, am I above average?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He snorted. "Honey, you're way above average."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I giggled at his sarcastic tone. "You sound like my mother."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hmph. Can you imagine what it'll be like when we're married?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We both laughed, and I pressed my lips to his, giving in to my cravings for another kiss./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Touch me," Lovi breathed, wrapping his arms around me. "I want to feel you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We can't go too far, okay?" I said. "No penetration."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Disappointed, he nodded, running his fingers through my hair. "You're so fucking boring."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Let's wait for a year or two and see if you'll still be saying those same words."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Knowing what that meant, Lovi moaned, breathlessly grinding against me. He pushed two of his fingers up his ass, moving them in time with the thrusts of my hand, against the shaft of his cock./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He put his free hand to his mouth, muffling his gasps and moans of pleasure – remembering that we were still inside the dorm, and people were sleeping in the other dorms. They didn't need to know what we were doing at this time of the night./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sucked on his curl, and remembering that he was in his incubus form at this very moment, I stroked his tail. Precum spilt over my fingers, and I smiled to myself./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Not holding back, he let out another moan, as he climaxed all over my hand. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Without hesitation, I licked his cum, thinking for a bit./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ew," he mumbled. "I'd love to suck you off sometime in the future, but the thought of my own semen makes me fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"quake /emin disgust."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I giggled. "Ah, well. I couldn't help myself."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're so goddamn weird."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I thought for a bit, sucking the remains of his semen off my fingers. "You taste…sweet."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"His face reddened. "T-That's…!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ahahaha, sorry. Am I being creepy?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Not at all, dammit. Just weird."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I planted another kiss on his lips, and he softly laughed, still recovering from his orgasm./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I love you," he managed to say, catching his breath./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I kissed him. "I love you too, mi amor."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He sat up, and slid down my pants. "I want you to feel good, too…let's do it more, just for a little bit, dammit…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled, and held him close./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I was right," my boyfriend whispered. "You em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"are/em big. Fuck."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I blushed. "Darling, you kept staring…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Fucking hell. I feel like you were staring at my ass longer than I was staring at your dick, hypocrite."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Not just your ass," I whispered. "All of you. I love everything about you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He smiled. "I'm thinking of visiting your family this weekend. When we don't have homework."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, just be mindful of my siblings. They can be a bit of a handful."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi rolled his eyes. "I know how it feels, don't worry about it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I trailed my fingers across his arms. "Your skin is so soft."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You say the most random things at the most random times," he snorted. "Honestly. It's cute, though."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "We're only in high school, and we've only been together for two months, yet it seems as if we've known each other forever."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I mean, isn't that the case? Don't you remember, three years ago?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's not what I mean," I said, kissing him again. "I feel something else."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My fingers gently grasped the delicate curl on the top of his head, and it formed the shape of a heart, as he cuddled up to me again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Your parents would be so proud of you," I said. "I can tell that you've matured over the past few years, despite your personality."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He grinned. "They'd have liked you, I'm sure of it."/span/p 


	18. Chapter 18

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino sat up, and looked around. "Oh my god. Did anyone come in here?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm? I locked the door…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He shook his head. "The school staff have the keys to the dorms, dammit. If someone came in here and reported us, we're doomed."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's 6:00 in the morning," I said. "Nobody would've come in here."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But we were kind of loud," he sighed. "I'm worried."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I hugged him. "Hey, if anything happens, I'll cover for you, okay? I'll explain."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi frowned. "As if that's going to make me feel better. Screw you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He let out a big sigh. "If they came in here, they would've seen us sleeping in the same bed – naked, in each other's arms, they would'…and there's semen on the ground, too, and, OH em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"MY GOD,/em I'm still in my fucking strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"DEMON FORM!"/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Calm down," I said. "I promise, if something goes wrong, I'll be here for you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi sighed, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "We have P.E class next, don't we?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "Yeah, we do."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Fuck," he mumbled, grimacing. "I don't feel like I have the energy do anything lately…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, but I thought you were good at sport…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He glared at me. "Of course I am, dumbass. But I just don't feel like it today."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I looked at him, concerned. "You don't get enough sleep, Lovi. From time to time, I see you up as late as 3:00 AM."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's alright…I'm fine, dammit," he says, though I could see the tired look in his eyes./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Volleyball…" he muttered, looking around, as if in a daze./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Watch out!"/span/em/strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" Alfred screamed, as the ball flew past Lovino./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hmmmm…" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Francis sighed, and looked at the rest of our teammates. "It's no use. He's no good. We'll have to swap him out for a sub."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hey, is that boyfriend of yours okay?!" another guy yelled back at me. "He completely missed the ball three times!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A scream from the small audience could be heard. It was Michelle, the exchange student from Seychelles./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh my God, is he okay?!"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We all turned our eyes behind us. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My boyfriend was lying on the ground, seemingly unconscious. My heart stopped for a moment, and I rushed towards him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovino?!" I yelled, sitting down next to him. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""He seems to have fainted," someone said. "My guess is that it was from the weather. With this heat, anyone could pass out."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's not the heat, you dumbass," Gilbert snapped. "He looked pretty tired."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovino…" I said, holding onto his hand./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Get him to the school nurse," someone else said. "He'll need someone to stay with him."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Francis sighed, and looked at me. "He's probably only going to want to talk to you. You should go."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What happened…" Lovi suddenly mumbled, his eyes fluttering open./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sighed. "You fainted in the middle of the P.E class."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He closed his eyes again, exhaling. "I feel like all the energy's been fucking drained out of me, dammit…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I told you, you aren't getting enough sleep. Are you seriously going to keep going around like this?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Tears welled up in his eyes. "I can't stop thinking about it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I leaned in closer to him. "About what?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""How I'm going to be publicly tortured, and so are you. For an entire day, Antonio. I don't want that for the both of us. Feli and the potato bastard will have to go through the same procedures, at the same time as us. As much as I hate the bastard who took away my little brother for himself, he doesn't deserve it, and neither do you. You can't control who you fall in love with, and who you don't."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He looked up at me. "If I could stop it, I would. All of the punishment techniques in the Underworld – they're so fucking vile and horrible, dammit – even for a place that's literally Hell. But I can't stop it. I'm the next heir after Arthur II, who will be crowned king god knows when. I won't be king until a very long time, Antonio. I'm only the prince – a little boy who everybody views as a mistake and a disappointment. I can't make any choices for myself, let alone anybody else."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I held his hand tightly. "I promise I will never leave you. I swear my life on it – I'll stay beside you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Because they believe that it's the lover's fault that the heir won't go with the arranged marriage, they have to torture the heir's lover, too, alongside the heir and those associated with their relationship. I'm so fucking sorry, Antonio. I put you through this. I don't want them to hurt you, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino was crying now, and I shook my head./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""No matter what kind of pain I have to go through, it will all be worth it, because in the end, I'll know that I sacrificed my happiness so that I could be with you – which is my true happiness," I said. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Everything alright in here?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The school nurse opened the door, glancing at us./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi nodded, and stood up. "I think I'll be fine now, thanks…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"She smiled. "Alright, it's your lunch break right now, so perhaps I could just escort you out the—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""No thank you," Lovi quickly replied. "I'll be okay."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"His fingers interlaced with mine, and I smiled to myself./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I got permission for you to rest in the dorms," I said, putting my bag down beside his on the ground. "I'll stay with you, so that you won't be alone."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm fifteen, not five," he snorted./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled. "Don't sweat it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I don't get it," Lovi sighed. "You're always so laid back. How do you do it? I'm always scared or something, and I cry a lot. The only 'laid-back' thing about me is that I sleep all the time."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I try not to worry about things," I said. "You're always worried about passing in something in an assignment after the due date, right? I try to prioritise myself and thing like that."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino frowned. "I need my sleep, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Another thing is that you're always sleeping during the day, and then you're awake throughout the night, doing god-knows-what. That's another thing."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He cracked a smile. "Shit, you sound like my mother. She would always be telling us shit like that when Feli and I were little."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "You know, ever since I was little, my friends would always comment on our interesting laughs."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi raised his eyebrows. "But your laugh sounds normal to me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, but when I find something incredibly funny, I have a different laugh. Francis, on the other hand…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He cringed. "em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Ohonhonhon/em—strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"asdjhkkhdsgghksdajdasashgdasjgdsahjasd"/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. "That's cute."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""No it isn't, dammit!" He looked up at me. "What does your other laugh sound like? I'm curious to know."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Fusosososososososososo—"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Never mind," he quickly said, though I could see the smile in his eyes. "It's cute, though."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "Your laugh is cute too, though. It's a shame that I never hear it too often."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino sighed. "Did you expect it to turn out like this at all? That you'd fall in love with someone of the same gender as you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""This again?" I asked. "I thought we'd talked about this already, Lovi…I don't mind if you're a man or not."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He shrugged. "If my parents were still alive, they'd definitely like you, but I don't know what my grandfather will think."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, you guys are those 'strict' Catholics, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi nodded. "Yeah, I used to love hanging out with my grandfather along with Feli, but we aren't as close anymore, after everything that's happened in the last few years."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hmm…I used to be close with Clarisse, you know."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He doubled over. "What?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "She used to be so clingy, it got annoying. I think she grew it out when she was at around eleven or something."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino sighed again. "Off topic, but…isn't it weird – that I keep having sexual thoughts about you? I can't seem to stop it…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I shook my head. "If you think that having those thoughts makes you a slut, you're wrong. It's normal. You're about to turn sixteen, and you've got raging hormones. Nothing to worry about."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah, I've never felt like this around anyone else. You're the first person I've ever fallen in love with."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Knowing that Lovino was all mine – and only mine, made me feel glad to have him by my side./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And if anyone tries to hurt him in any way, it'll cost them their life./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The fact that I have to be publicly tortured on the day of Lovi and Feli's arranged wedding doesn't bother me at all./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He looked at me. "You might think that it irks me to have a possessive boyfriend, but it doesn't piss me off, actually. I like to think that it kind of turns me on."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I raised my eyebrows. "It does? You looked so uncomfortable during the sleepover, though…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino shook his head. "I was just embarrassed. But it flatters me knowing that you won't let anyone stand in your way.'/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Don't worry," I said. "I'm not the type who'll literally lock you inside a closet and not let you out. I love you too much to do that. But it will cost somebody their life if they wish to hurt you or take you away from me in any way."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm happy," he said, tears forming in the corners of his eyes. "I'm so fucking happy that you're here for me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "You're safe here with me, darling. And nobody will be here to disturb our happiness. I'll make sure of it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Apparently there was a school shooting near our area," Lovino said./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I looked up from my phone. "Oh my god. I hope everyone will be okay."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He shook his head. "That's not the point. Someone started causing a racket, claiming to be a demon – and it started a whole thing."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It'll be alright," I said, holding him close to me. "I'll protect you, no matter what happens."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Thanks," he sighed. "I'm just worried."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled. "You know, it thrills me knowing that my boyfriend is a prince. It's…surreal."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm the prince of the fucking Underworld, Antonio. There isn't anything cool about that."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Of course there is," I said, caressing the side of his face. "Even if you weren't from the Underworld, you'd still be my prince."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He parted his lips, and I gave in, engaging in another kiss with him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"If there were to be another war, I would definitely protect him at all costs. We would run away together. Anything to keep him safe./span/p 


	19. Chapter 19

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"POV (Lovino)/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I looked up at my boyfriend. "Why the fuck are you so busy lately? Get some fucking rest, dumbass."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He gave me a pleased expression. "Nope."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""If you don't get some fucking sleep right now, I'll dominate you when we have our first time, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Sleeping is gay," Antonio replied./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"You're/em/strong gay!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He shrugged. "I'm making plans for your birthday, Lovi. I can't sleep."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Dumbass! Sleep already!"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovi, I—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I glared at him. "Look, I've been trying to get enough sleep for the past few days just so that you wouldn't worry so much about me, but now you're the one who isn't sleeping enough!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio smiled. "You're worried about me?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Tears formed in my eyes, and I felt my face get hot. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;""Yes!"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, I'm sorry, then," he sighed, lifting up my bangs to kiss my forehead. "I didn't realise that it'd make you worry so much."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I hugged him. "I'm pretty fucking grateful to have such a hard-working and thoughtful boyfriend, but Christ, you really need to think about yourself more."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It is already the 16th of March – the day before my birthday, and Antonio's been sleeping less and less, more focused on my benefits, rather than his./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Which he does all the time, but not as much as this, dammit./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I glanced up at him. "Maybe we should do our homework or something…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We had homework?" he asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's not like you to forget that we had homework and for me to remember," I said, glaring at him. "Stop thinking about me for a sec, will you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're asking for the impossible." A dorky smile spread across his face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Really, Antonio," I snorted. "You're so fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"weird."/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He looked around on his phone, letting out a sigh. "Fuck."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And now you're em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"cursing /emall of a sudden!" I exclaimed. "What the fuck happened to you?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nothing. I'll be out to buy something for a bit, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh," I said. "I'll come with you." I tugged on his shirt./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, I'll be okay," he said. "It's for you and Feli, so you should stay with the others."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But everyone else is busy," I complained. "Dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Clarisse/em is free."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…Fucking hell!/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hey," I mumbled, opening the door./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse raised her eyebrows. "Oh, hi. The rest of my family is out at the moment, with my aunt, so—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're free today, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"She nodded. "Yeah…why?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Let's go out for a bit. I'm so fucking bored."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"There was confusion written all over her face, but she nodded. "Okay."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh. He's planning something for you and your brother's birthday?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah," I muttered. "And he isn't getting enough sleep."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse glanced at me. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You definitely deserve my cousin," she said. "He's happy with you, and I've never seen him like this before. He's always been putting on this smile for years – ever since we were all kids, but he's had his hard times. When he was still a grade-schooler, he got bullied all the time, and even throughout middle school, he was considered as one of the 'uncool' kids, a nerd. Yet he never stopped smiling."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"She sighed. "I still remember that time – when I was seven and he was nine. I walked into his room after school, only to find him crying. Apparently his friend group left him, and they had been lying to him that entire time."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I raised my eyebrows. "Yikes."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah, but he became friends with this one French dude, and by the time they were in junior high, this weird albino guy joined their group. He's been happier since, but ever since you came into his life, he's actually been a more genuinely happy guy."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse smiled. "We used to be close. I'd call him 'Kuya Toni', but I soon grew out of that. I hope you two grow to be a happy couple."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Her smile faded, and she cast her usual cranky glare towards me. "But if you break his heart in any way, I will fucking end you, putang ina."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Yikes./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Also, I'm not stupid," she continued. "I remember you. From years ago."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh, shit./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You do?" I asked, somewhat surprised./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Then again, Clarisse is one sharp, sneaky bitch./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah," she replied. Her cheeks turned pink. "I actually had a crush on you, even though you were just some random kid."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Huh..?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Okay, that's even weirder. Is Clarisse okay today, dammit?!/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What?" she asked, scowling. "I was em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"eleven!"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Hm, that explains it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A smirk crossed my face. Clarisse is Antonio's cousin, isn't she?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Maybe I could get some information out of her./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Spill the tea, bitch./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I raised my eyebrow. "Hey…what's Antonio like at home? With you guys?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"She snorted. "Almost the exact same as he is at school. Oh, but there's a darker side to him, too. Did you know?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah." I shuddered. "Violent?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nah, there's something else, but that's one of them," Clarisse said. "I feel like there's...something else, ever since you got together with him. But it's probably just me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh, well. I already know that he's obsessing over the fact that he wants to protect me and all that shit, dammit./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It makes me feel happy, though./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"She glanced towards me. "I know that you two have been doing 'certain things' together, by the way."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What the fuck?!" I exclaimed, almost spilling my drink. "HOW?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""He makes it so obvious," Clarisse said. "Whenever he visits home after hanging out with you at night, he's got this dazed expression on his face, and it's so obvious that something happened. Kuya /spanspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;"João was convinced that his brother got em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"laid."/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;"I snorted. "Really?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;""Yeah, he kept asking who was the girlfriend, or if she was just some whore Antonio picked up on the street – though that's unlikely. Despite the fact that he has good looks that could seduce anybody (or he possibly has a kinky side that nobody knew about all this time) , it doesn't sound like something he'd do. So we all ended up assuming that he got himself a girlfriend and slept with her or something."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;"I laughed. "That's fucking wild. I wonder how his parents reacted when they found out his date actually has a penis."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;"Clarisse snorted. "My aunt went crazy when João told us the news. It was hilarious – she literally raised her hands up and started dancing when she found out. Her husband, on the other hand, was calm about it and stated that he's happy for his son."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;""Christ, they're making it seem like we're getting married or just had a baby, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well, he's been single for so long, with no sign of a girlfriend or crush whatsoever." She shrugged. "Hey, let's go over there, I wanna go shopping for clothes."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I looked her up and down. "Nice to see that you're wearing something age-appropriate for once." She was wearing a white dress with ruffles, and I had to admit – she looked nice./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse scowled. "Everyone my age wears crop-tops and booty shorts, moron. But I'm not going to hold it against you. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Kasi bakla ka."/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""The fuck does em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'bakla'/em mean?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It means you're beautiful. Okay, let's go."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I already know that you two have done sexual things together, but have you actually had sex yet?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I shook my head. "It's legal for us to have sex in some countries, including here – in Japan, but we're going to do it when I'm at around 17 or 18."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"She grinned. "Sounds reasonable. Okay lang."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse showed me a black dress, with a long slit on the right. "What do you think of this?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You can wear that, I guess," I mumbled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yay~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""When you're seventeen," I added./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Boo! You're no fun!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I cracked a smile, and shoved another dress into her arms. "What about this one instead?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"She grimaced. "What, you want me to look like a grandma? Ang baduy naman. If I'm going to wear this, you wear that." Clarisse gestured towards a checkered shirt and grey pants./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ew," I said. "No thanks."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We both laughed, and she suddenly grabbed my arm, making me twitch./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse pointed, and grinned. "I'm getting bored here. Let's go somewhere else."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I lied. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Bakla /emactually means 'gay'."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I pinched her cheeks. "You em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"bitch!"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"She giggled. "You're so goddamn gullible. It's hilarious."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse smirked. "Does your boyfriend know that we're out here? He might get the wrong idea and start crying."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""There's no way he'd do that," I snorted. "He's not that dumb. That sounds like something I'd do."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, trust me – he'd do that," she said. "I know him too well."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sighed. "He knows – he's actually the one who told me to hang out with you until he comes back and finished the birthday preparations, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hey," I said, looking at her, "what about you? Do you have a boyfriend or girlfriend yet?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nope," Clarisse replied. "Single pringle over here. It's gotten to the point where I'm kinda desperate now. Every time I get a boyfriend, he always dumps me for a prettier girl. Typically one who has bigger boobs."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ew," I said, grimacing. "You'll find someone sometime. It might take time, but it'll happen."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"She grinned. "Since when did you become so encouraging, huh?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I don't know. Antonio must have influenced me. Fuck."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovi?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned, and stood up to give Antonio a hug. "Heyyyyy."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""How was it?" he asked. "Hanging out with Clarisse?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Eh," I said. "Not as cancerous as I thought it'd be."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse stomped on my foot, casting a glare towards me. I winced. Though she's little and younger than me, she's a vicious girl when angry./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What about you?" I asked, ignoring the short girl. "How are you, babe?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The Filipina gaped at me. strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;""Babe?!"/em/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio gave a faint chuckle. "We, uh, have a little habit of calling each other certain names now."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Tsk!" she snorted. "Young couples these days, honestly."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Speak for yourself. Hypocrite much?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My boyfriend smiled. "Let's go to your apartment. Haven't been there in a while."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""H-Huh? But what about the dorms—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I want to stay with you, and only you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled. "Okay, you desperate bastard."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse cringed. "Okay, I'll be on my way, now."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Where are you going?" Antonio asked her./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm gonna take the train back to school. You two have fun."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We nodded, and waved./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smirked. "You're planning to sleep with me again, aren't you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""If we slept in the same bed at my house, my mom wouldn't shut up about it for weeks, so I think it'd be best to stay at your place."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A giggle escaped my lips. "Goddammit, Antonio."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We didn't end up doing anything sexy tonight, but we ended up talking a bit and sharing a few quick kisses./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "I thought you were horny."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Not today," he laughed. "I think we've done enough for a while."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""The fuck do you mean? We've only masturbated a total of three times."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He shrugged. "I'm kind of tired lately…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's because you're not getting enough sleep!" I said, tackling him to the bed. He laughed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Fine, fine. The preparations are done, so I can sleep now."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I hugged him. "Fuck. You're so warm."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio kissed me. "Darling, are you okay now? Have you stopped worrying so much?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I've started forgetting about it," I said. "You know, I've started pushing it all aside and stuff."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm glad to hear that, Lovi," he said, stroking my hair. I smiled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Does anyone else call you Lovi?" he asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "My brother. But I think you're the first who called me by that nickname."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio grinned. "Well, that's good, then!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Because you're mine!" He playfully pinched my cheeks. His hands went over to my thigh, and I let out a high-pitched squeal./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovi?!" He sat up, looking down at me. I giggled. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm fucking ticklish, you bastard!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio laughed. "You're so cute!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My hands guided towards his hips, and I smirked. His eyes widened./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Revenge," I whispered, trying to keep myself from busrting into laughter./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Noooooooo!" Antonio squealed, scrambling away. I laughed, tugging on his legs, pulling him towards me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We fell back onto the bed, in a mass of little giggles and breaths. I flopped over, facing him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I love you," I whispered./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I love you too," Antonio replied, planting a tiny kiss on my lips./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The innocence of the moment floated in the air, as if it were wiping away any trace of our previous sexual activities. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I like letting out my kinkier side with Antonio, but…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…This is em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"nice./em/span/p 


	20. Chapter 20

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I woke up in his arms, to find that em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"for once/em – I had woken up earlier than him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Doing my best to wriggle out of his gentle yet somewhat firm grip, I finally slipped out of his arms, and crawled over him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Good morning~" I whispered, planting a kiss on his lips. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"At the sound of my voice, Antonio sat up, a smile on his face as he caressed the side of my face. "Happy birthday, em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"darling~"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I threw my arms around him. "Thank you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alfred kicked open the door of our dorm room, and he grinned, blasting 'All Star' on full volume. strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;""Happy Birthday, bro!"/em/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. "Thanks, Al."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I made you a cake!"/span/strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" He handed over a cake with weird colors on it, and I tried not to grimace./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh. Thanks, but I'm not really hungry right no—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Happy birthday, you wanker," Arthur muttered. "Feliciano's boyfriend is holding a mini party in their dorm – and they asked me to let you know that you're invited."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio broke into a grin. "Oh, really? We'll be right there!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""HAPPY BIRTHDAY BITCH!"/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" Clarisse screeched, rushing over to crush me in a hug. strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;""MAHAL KITAAAAAA!"/em/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I chuckled. "Thanks, Clarisse. Wait, are you even allowed in the boys' dorms—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We snuck in," Liz said, waving./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Veee!" /span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I immediately ran over to sit beside Feli, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Happy birthday, you dumbass."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You too," he giggled. "I love you, fratello."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I ruffled his soft hair, planting a kiss on his forehead. "Go to hell~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, yeah," he said. "Nonno is starting a video call. He wants to talk to us!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""The people of the Underw—I mean, our em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"relatives/em know how to FaceTime?" I asked, bewildered./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feli nodded. "Okay, it connected. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Ciao, Nonno~"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Our grandfather broke into a smile. strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;""Feliciano, Lovino! How are you two?"/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Fine," I mumbled, looking away for a bit. It had been a while since I saw my grandfather, and I still didn't know what he truly thought of me. Whenever he visited us here in Earth – in disguise, I'd run away and start crying, because the truth is, I fucking miss him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Have you two made any friends? Or perhaps…found any love?"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I blushed, and didn't say anything. He'd expect something from Feliciano, that's for sure. Feliciano, the cuter one. Feliciano, the talented one./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovino?"/span/strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" There was concern in his voice./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I looked at the screen. "I-I actually have someone now…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Aww, still as shy as ever! Who's the lucky girl?"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nonno…" I braced myself for what was coming next. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""…My love is a em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"man."/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"There was silence for about five seconds, then Nonno broke into a smile./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's just as wonderful! Who's the lucky guy?"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh./span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nudged my boyfriend. "Antonio, he wants to see you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He raised his eyebrows. "Oh? Okay! Uhm, hello, Lovi's grandpa!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Jeez, what a dork. I love him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My grandfather smiles and waves. Despite his age, he still looks and acts as if he were still in his late 20s. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Uh, Nonno, this is my boyfriend, Antonio," I mumbled. "I hope you two can get along and shit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Still as foul-mouthed as ever, Lovino,"/span/strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" Nonno acknowledged. strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;""Hello, Antonio. I'm glad that someone is finally capable of making my eldest grandson happy."/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio grinned. "Well, your grandson is the most wonderful person I've ever met – and the love of my life. I'll have to give you credit, for being a beloved relative of the sweetest man on Earth."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I cringed and covered my face in embarrassment. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Antonio…!/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My grandfather chuckled. strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;""What about you, Feliciano?"/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Me? Oh, uhm…" My brother nudged the potato bastard. "Uhm, this is Ludwig!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh. Hello," the potato bastard said in a low voice./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The look on Nonno's face was priceless, and I almost snorted in laughter./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well!"/span/strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" Nonno exclaimed. strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;""He sure is em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"well built,/em that's for sure! Hello, Ludwig, I'm pleased to meet you."/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Pleased to meet you too, sir," the potato dickhead replied, a small smile on his face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Nonno grinned. strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;""Say, Lovino, Feliciano, have you two done, hmm…anything 'intimate' with your partners?"/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh, man. Here we go again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""No," Feliciano said, smiling. "We go on dates and stuff…oh, and we sometimes cuddle in bed to keep warm, too – but we've never done anything sexy. I'm too young. I'm only fifteen, and Luddy is only fourteen."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, of course!"/span/strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" my grandfather repliedstrong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;". "My bad. I always keep forgetting that you and Lovino are em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"fifteen and sixteen/em – and not seventeen and eighteen. You two have grown to be such handsome young men, I always end up thinking that you're both em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"years /emolder than you em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"actually/em are!"/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I cracked a smile at his remark, remembering how Antonio had thought at first that I was in em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"his/em grade, despite my height and baby face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What about you, Lovino?"/span/strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" he asked. strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;""You're already sixteen – that's legal in a lot of countries. Done anything yet with your special man?"/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Remembering the three somewhat 'spicy' nights we had spent together, I flushed red. My grandfather teasingly whistles./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'll take that as a yes!"/span/strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" Nonno said, beaming./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I blushed even harder. "Nonno! N-N-N-Not strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"sex!"/em/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I shifted around. "W-We haven't had sex yet, but, uhm, err…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio grinned. "Oh, we have our ways. No penetration."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse gaped at us, horrified./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Wonderful!" my grandfather exclaimed. "Well, I'd better be off, now. I'm actually here in Earth in disguise—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nonno!"/span/em/strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" I whisper-yelled. "Everyone else is listening, so don't mention the fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Underworld,/em dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, whoops. My bad. But yes, I am in Italy at the moment, spending some quality time with Romeo. I'll see you both soon. I'd love to meet you sometime in person, Antonio and Ludwig. Happy birthday, my dear boys! em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Ciao."/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The call dropped, and I let out a deep sigh. This guy is so much like Feliciano, dammit./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Antonio grinned. "He's nice. I like him."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smirked. "Different from what you expected, hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Definitely," he agreed. "But that doesn't make me like him any less."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The potato bastard smiled. "I would like to meet him sometime. I'm glad that he approves of our relationship."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feli nodded. "He's not like our other relatives. Our other relatives just pressure him too much, and he has to agree with them, because he has such a big role back at home. But he's a very good and inclusive person."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse grinned. "Heyyyy, let's talk or something. I'm getting bored."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Wow, this girl sure gets bored a lot, dammit./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The potato bastard scooched over closer (the fuck is his problem, dammit?) , and looked down at me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I, uh, wanted to apologise for the other day," he sheepishly said, shifting his eyes towards me. "I didn't know that you'd heavily disapprove of the relationship I now share with Feliciano."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I glared at him. "You break his heart, I'll break your fuckingstrong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;" face/em/strong."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He looked a bit horrified for a second, but shook it off. "Well, I'm sorry. I didn't know that you'd try to kill yourself because of me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"What? It wasn't because of him…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"There was shame in his eyes, and I almost pitied the goddamn bastard./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It wasn't you," I sighed. "Other shit, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "I still hate you, but if you're the source of why my brother is 10 times the happy person he used to be, then I don't give a shit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""So you approve?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah, as long as you don't make him cry. I assure you, I am strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"the world's best big brother,/strong regardless of what my relatives back in the Underworld say. Regardless of what em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Feliciano /emsays, too. So if you do anything to upset him, strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"mark my fucking words/em/strong – I am the eldest descendant of my grandfather, Romulus, therefore I am the em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"prince/em, and the em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"next heir/em after em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Arthur II,/em and therefore I actually have the power to transport you to the Underworld and have my family's guards torture and execute you in public, which I will do in em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"great pleasure/em. So just be aware of that, you bastard."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He smiled a little. "That's good to know. Thank you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"POV (Antonio)/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino's smile, to me, is like no other./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It's as if he lights up my whole world, whenever he smiles or laughs./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It's different to Feli – even though Feli is extremely adorable./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Suddenly, I felt two arms wrap around my body./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Boo."/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I jolted, and looked back to see my beautiful boyfriend smiling back at me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Baby, what are you doing?" I asked, kissing him on the cheek. He grinned./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Is this what you arranged for me? I'm happy."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I shook my head. "I only played a large part in helping set up the party here, in Feli's dorm. The real party is back at my house, and we're taking everyone with us."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi put his hand over his mouth, his eyes tearing up. "Oh, Antonio…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You haven't even seen it yet," I said, smiling. "We'll go soon."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He hugged me, planting kisses all over my neck. "Toni…oh, my fucking god, you don't know how much this means to me…fuck…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "Did you just call me em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Toni?"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He blushed. "U-Uhm, well…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "You're adorable, you know?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Shut up." He pulled me in for another kiss, and I held him close, not getting enough of the moment./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I gave a faint chuckle./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He pulled back./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I giggled. "Lovi, I can feel you…your hard-on…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He turned bright red. "WWHHWHstrong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"W-W-WHAAAAATTTTTTTTT?! /em/strongI-Ignore it, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""How could I ignore something as cute as that?" I laughed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""WHAT THE FUCK, HOW IS THAT em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"CUTE?!"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hehe, it's poking me~""/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""HNNNNNNNNNNNNGHHHH."/span/strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" He covered his face, blushing madly./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "I'm just kidding! Come over here, darling~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Stupid!" Lovi retorted, puffing out his cheeks. He cuddled up close to me, the back of his head leaning on my chest./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feliciano looked happy too – he was playing games with Clarisse and the others, while holding hands with his boyfriend. I smiled to myself. Only a few minutes now – and we would be going to my house for the real party./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""HAPPY BIRTHDAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!"/span/em/strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" my siblings screamed, pulling a very startled Lovino into the house./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I DON'T KNOW YOU BUT HAPPY BIRTHDAY," /spanspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;"João yelled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;"My boyfriend's eyes widened. "I-It's so loud here—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;""OH, ARE YOU THE BOYFRIEND?"/span/strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;" my dad asked loudly. "COME INSIDE, MY WIFE WANTS TO MEET YOU."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;""O-Okay—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;""AAAAAAAAAAAAA! YOU'RE LOVINO, AREN'T YOU?"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;"Hm. Mom./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;"Lovi nodded. "Yeah, uhm—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;""WE'VE HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT YOU! COME INSIDE!"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;"Please, for god's sake, just em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"stop screaming./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;""Gosh, he's handsome," one of my sisters squeaked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;"My other brother snickered. "Who knew our big brother would turn out to be gay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;""It's cute, though!" Mom said. "Happy birthday, dear. There's another one, right? Your brother?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;"Lovi meekly nodded, still shaken by the noise./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;""Veee, hi~!" Feli said, smiling./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;""OH! You're just as adorable and gorgeous as your brother!" Mom exclaimed. I hid behind Lovi, embarrassed by my family./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;"Feli grinned. "Ehehe, thanks! I'm Feliciano, Lovi's little brother."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;""Oh! Twins?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;""Nope, we're one year apart and just happen to have the same birthday."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;"Mom grinned, looking at Ludwig. "And who are you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;""Feliciano's boyfriend, miss," the stoic man said. It's hard to believe that he's two years younger than me, really. "My name is Ludwig, but Feli calls me—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;""Luddy!"/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;" Feli said, hugging the tall German./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;"As my parents continued to greet the rest of our friends, I felt a tug on my arm. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;"Lovi's eyes were teary, and his cheeks were pink. "Darling, this is so fucking beautiful. I don't know what to say."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; background: white;"I had decorated the house for my boyfriend and his little brother, and my siblings helped, too. Even Clarisse had given up on browsing dating sites for a day, and lended a hand in decorating./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Come over to my room," I said, grabbing his soft, delicate hand. "I decorated it just for you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He giggled. "Antonio, I don't think there's a single spot in the house you haven't decorated, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""OH MY FUCKING GOD…"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino looked around at my room, which was decorated all over with pictures of the two of us, and little streamers put up by Clarisse hung around the corners of the walls./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I-It's simple, and not as extravagant as downstairs, but…" Tears spilled out of his eyes. "It's beautiful, Antonio. I love it. It's so beautiful, I need a name for it. Beautifuck."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;""Beautifuck?"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yes. strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"Beautifuck./strong Dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He kissed me full on the lips, starting off with a little innocent kiss, delving it into more. His tongue explored my mouth, and he sucked on my lip./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We pulled away, a string of saliva following. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm," I said. "You taste sweet. Like cake."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi giggled. "I did end up trying the cake Alfred made, after all."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""How was it?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Despite the em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"disgustingly contrasting colors/em, it actually tasted kind of nice. Oh, but I made sure to stay away from thestrong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;" emoji cookies /stronghe and Arthur made, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed, holding him close./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm so happy," Lovi whispered. "I never knew that my sixteenth birthday would be this fucking awesome. It's like a fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Disney/em movie, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled. "Hold on, I have something for you, to make it even better."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"His eyes widened. "Please tell me you didn't get something so fucking crazy expensive. I'd start crying, because I don't want you to waste money on me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I wouldn't be wasting money if it's for you, silly," I said. "No, it wasn't really expensive – but I thought you'd like it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I gave him a small box, and he opened it up. His eyes lit up, and got teary again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Inside were a pair of tomato-shaped earrings, a hairpin, and a badge./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I had taken note of the fact that much like me, Lovinoem style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;" loved/em tomatoes./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He laughed. "Thank you, Antonio. I'll definitely make sure to get my ears pierced just so that I can wear these, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I raised my eyebrows. "Y-You don't have to, if you don't want to—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Shut up. I'll do what I want, because I'm the prince of Hell, and I should always get my way, peasant."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovi!"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino giggled, kissing me all over. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;""Ti amo, bastardo."/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I kissed him. "Happy birthday. Cheers to having two more years to go until we can legally fuck."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The sound of Lovino's laugh following my sentence was the one thing that made my day, and I will never forget it./span/p 


	21. Chapter 21

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"As we all know, time comes and goes – it just passes by./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Before we knew it, we had our mid-year exams./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And we were stressed (and maybe even a little depressed)./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But we passed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And then the fun and games were over once again, as time passed by again – and we had our end-of-year exams./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But we passed them!/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And Lovi (only just) passed his Spanish tests, too. Which is em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"good!/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And then we had Christmas and the New year and all that…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"(Lovino stayed at my place again, and we slept together again. Without having sex, of course.)/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And so…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Before we knew it, it was the new school year all over again, and Lovi and I have been together for an entire year./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And he cried on our one-year anniversary./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It was em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"adorable./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Fucking hell. I'm a second-year now, dammit!"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "Is that a positive remark or no?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi smiled. "I don't know. Your call. Do you like exams and assignments? em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Three times/em the amount we had last year?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, I'll take that as a no."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He giggled. "I was so excited this morning, dammit. I just wanted to see you at school again…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yes, the break was long, wasn't it?" I agreed, ruffling his dark brown hair. "I'm glad we're dorm partners again."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""This is rigged, isn't it?" he snorted. "That we keep ending up together for everything – whether it's dorm partner assignments or class project partners. We're supposed to be stuck with the same partner for two years, right? Yeah, this is definitely rigged. Someone is setting us up."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well, I heard that Kiku's dad works as one of the administrators of the school. Kiku must've told his dad to—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"I knew there was something shady about that guy, dammit!/em Fucking hell – he was trying to matchmake us that entire time!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And I'm thankful for it," I whispered, holding him close. "Because I met you, and now we'll never be apart."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Except for after you graduate – when you'll be studying abroad in fucking strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Europe."/em/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Wow, way to ruin the mood, Lovi."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You'll text and call, won't you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Of course!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We laughed, and I planted a kiss on his soft, pink lips./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'll see you at class, darling."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"As I walked off to put my bag away, I felt a sharp tug on my shirt./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""One last hug," he spat. "Dammit."br /I sighed, hugging him tightly, before letting go./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I love you, you bastard!" he called back./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I waved, calling out to him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, I'm so fucking tired!" Lovi sighed, dropping his bag to the ground. "Alfred and the twins kept singing during math class, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And you couldn't concentrate because of them?" I asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""NO! I wanted to concentrate and study harder because I'm a dumbass who has low ass grades, but I wanted to join in with them, too!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sighed. "Maybe you should sit away from the—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""NO. Ms. Ren went out for a bit to talk to some other teacher, and then Tyler and Alex suddenly jumped up onto the fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"desks/em and started singing em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'Bitch Lasagna'/em. strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"HOW THE FUCK AM I SUPPOSED TO RESIST?! HNNNNNNNNNNGH./em/strong"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. "Don't give in to temptation!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He frowned. "I just wanted to have fun for once, dammit…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Then why don't you join in with them? Nothing wrong with being a little quirky once in a while, you know."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Because that would ruin my fucking image!" he snapped. "You know, the cool image that all the girls see and shit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I cocked my head to the side. "Do they know that you already have a boyfriend?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Uhm…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino looked around, his cheek turning pink. "Nope."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Letting out a sigh, I squeezed his hand. "Darling, if you want to have fun, then do it. Nobody's stopping you. If you're worried about your public image, then you can let out your, uhm…memey side when it's just the four of you – you, Alfred, and the twins. As for those girls –"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I stopped. "Lovi, are you embarrassed about being together with someone of the same sex as you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What the fuck?" He stared at me. "That's not it, dammit. I'm just an ignorant dumbass who—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My boyfriend went silent, and shifted his eyes around guiltily./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Tears started to form in the corners of his eyes. "U-Uhm, well…it's not that I'm fucking embarrassed, but…I don't know how to let them know…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ah. I know how he feels./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Like the time Francis and Gilbert pressured me on if I was gay. Hm./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I understand," I said. "You could just make it obvious, if you're that shy about it. That's completely fine with me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino smiled. "R-Really? Oh. Uhm, thanks."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I broke into a big smile. "Hey…did last year stress you out that much? I feel like you've been eating a lot of sweet things during our exam week…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He blushed. "No way. You're fucking dreaming. Snap out of it, Antonio!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hmm?" I smirked, looking at him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""W-Well, I guess I did get a little chubby, but that's besides the fucking point, dammit! I-I'll work out or something, I—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm? Oh, that's not what I meant. I was thinking that it's actually pretty cute."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino's face flushed again. "Uhm."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What?" I cocked an eyebrow./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Please don't tell me you have some sort of crazy fetish, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I shook my head. "Nope. I was never into anything kinky, really."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"There was a moment of silence./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I think…" I added./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi smirked. "Oh, is that so? Because I caught you browsing online for dresses in my size. And lingerie, too. Definitely not kinky, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I snorted. "You're the one who has a lingerie kink!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I wonder what other interesting things I'll discover about you next," he sighed. "Maybe you secretly have a daddy kink for me, hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovi!" I said, rolling my eyes./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, well – I always knew that I could be dominating in a way, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'll tickle you!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Daddy," he teased, flipping me off./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's it!" I said, tackling him to the bed. "I'm tickling you!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nooooooooooooooooooooo!"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi laughed, as I poked my fingers all over his body. He looked up at me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hold on, I gotta go."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Aww," I pouted. "To where? We were having so much fun—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Antonio, if you tickled me any more, I would've fucking wet myself, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh. Okay, you can go."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He smirked. "Thank you. I was worried for a second that you had a watersports kink or something."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I gaped my mouth open to protest, before he shut the door behind him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feli grinned. "Okay, so – did we all remember to bring our pictures of when we were little?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Everyone nodded, holding up their photos./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Okay, we'll start with me, then~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. Classic Feli./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He put forward an old photo. "This is from when me and fratello were at around three and four years old, when we used to live in Italy. That's our Mama and Papa, but they died years ago, and so now we've only got our grandpa. Oh, and that baby over there is our other little brother, Romeo."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Woah, you two are so cute!" Liz gasped. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alfred grinned. "Looks like 'Vino was still a troublemaker even as a child."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feli giggled. "Eh, well, he did wet the bed every now and then, but—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Okay, okay, that's em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"enough/em, dammit!" Lovino said, pinching his little brother's cheeks. "Next!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Uhm, this is me and Alfie when we were five," Matthew quietly said, holding up his photo. "And that taller guy over there is Arthur, and that other guy next to Arthur is Francis. We were childhood friends."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi grinned. "Very cute."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Gilbert cackled. "Okay, this is a photo of me when I was five, and my lil bro was just about to turn three. Keseseseseseesesese! I was so cute!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I was going to say that Luddy looks cute, too," Feli snapped./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""THIS IS US!" Tyler screeched, shoving a photo in the middle of the circle. "We were childhood friends with Alfred and Arthur, so they're just standing next to us over there – oh, and Antonio is in the picture, too – but you can only see his leg, because he's running after some girl."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino smirked at Clarisse. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;""Some girl."/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. "Oh, yeah. I remember that. We were chasing each other."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You had nice legs even then," Lovi snorted. "Next!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, uhm!" Kiku smiled, holding up his picture. "This is me with my siblings. I was about five at the time. That taller boy beside me is my older brother, Yao. I believe he is in your grade, Antonio."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "He is. He's like the brains of the class or something. Also, here's my photo."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino immediately moved in to see, and his mouth dropped open./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Y-You're so…you're so fucking CUTE, Antonio!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alfred laughed. "There he goes again."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"As Lovi continued to squeal while looking at my photo, we all stared at Clarisse. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, right. My photo." She slipped us her wallet. "Here, this is the only decent one I could find. It's me at my fifth birthday – we had it at em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Jollibee/em."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi paled. "What the fuck is that em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"giant dancing retarded red bee /emnext to you and your family, dammit?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Huh? That's the em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Jollibee/em mascot…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alfred adjusted his glasses and squinted at the photo. "Ronald McDonald!Bee AU."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Enough has been said," Lovino sighed. "Can we trade food or something?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Kiku took a sip of his juice. "I actually thought the mascot was quite em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"cute/em."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Changing the subject," Lovi said, "does anyone else besides me hate spiders?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I like spiders,"/span/strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" a voice behind us said./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We came in contact with a plump girl of average height, holding a sketchbook./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""My name is Arakawa, but everybody calls me 'Arachnide' or 'Spider-chan,", she said. "Nice to meet you!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Her lips curled up so that her face was in an 'em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"uwu' /emshape, and Lovino grimaced./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""She's my classmate," Lovi whispered to me. "I fucking hate her."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Spider-chan grinned. "I made some drawings. Wanna see?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Kiku raised his eyebrows. "Oh? May I see?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Sure!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Arthur looked at her drawing, and raised his large eyebrows. "Pardon me, miss, but may I ask – what are those?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Spider people!"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Poor Lovino looked like he was about to vomit, as he leaned onto my chest. "Antonio, I don't feel so good, dammit…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alfred's eyes widened. "Woah, em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Thanos/em going all out on Lovino!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ew, em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Spiderman/em," Spider said, cringing. "I gotta go – my friend em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Lopie-kun/em is over there, and I wanna talk to him. Bye~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino grimaced, and looked at me. "She's fucking terrible, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Kiku sighed. "But this is a multicultural school…she doesn't have to use honorifics…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi frowned. "Yeah, uhm, I don't know how, but she already knows that we always hang out at the tree…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We're not really the class nobodys, though," Alfred pointed out. "We may all be unpopular, but everyone knows us."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Not everyone is unpopular," Matthew mumbled, glancing towards my boyfriend./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Aiyaa/em, what's going on here, em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"aru?"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We looked behind us, to see two guys walking towards the tree./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "Hey, Yao. And…" I paled. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;""Ivan."/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi began to sweat, and he reached to squeeze my hand./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, don't mind him," Yao laughed, though I could see the worry in his eyes. "I didn't invite him, he just followed me he—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""He invited me, da!" Ivan interrupted, smiling./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hey, that's totally cool," Alfred said, though he avoided the Russian's gaze. "We welcome everyone here at the tree. Welcome to the Loser Club."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino grimaced. "Yeah, where all the uncool kids hang out, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I actually feel like Lovino is the most popular and well-known out of all of us," Tyler pointed out. "Don't you guys think so?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Everyone nodded in agreement, and my boyfriend blushed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled. "Ah, I was once popular…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""In a bad way," Francis added. We all laughed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well, don't you remember how when we were fifteen, Gilbert stuck a thumbtack into the teacher's chair?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino gaped at him. "You did not."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Gilbert grinned. "I got detention. But it was hilarious."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And how we dared Francis to tongue-kiss a toilet seat when we were nine," I said./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm scared to hear what you did, Antonio," Lovi said, shuddering./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Me? Oh, uhm, I Fortnite-danced during a class presentation…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino and Alfred cringed. strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"" G."/em/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""He's the tamer one out of us three," Gilbert laughed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My boyfriend twitched. "You call that tame—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The bell rang, and everybody stood up./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Fuck," Lovi sighed. "I don't wanna go to class!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Mood," Alfred said./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I held his hand. "It's okay, I'll help you out~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hmph."/span/p 


	22. Chapter 22

_***DING DONG DANG DONG THIS IS A SMUT CHAPTER SO THAT'S JUST A LIL WARNING! NOW ENJOY :))***_

Lovino hugged me. "Good morning, you bastard. It's nice knowing that we're now allowed to stay at my house during the weekend."

I grinned. "Hey~"

He sat up. "I can't believe time goes by this fast, dammit. It's already the new school year, and now it's the fucking _weekend."_

"Yeah," I agreed. "Hey, were you okay last night? You kept calling out my name in your sleep…"

"Yeah, I had a dream about you." He traced his finger along my collarbone area.

"What happened?"

He blushed. "U-Uhm, well…"

Ah.

I may be oblivious, but judging by the color of his face…

"We were, um…having sex…" he said in a little voice.

_Called it._

I smiled. "Ahaha, well…"

"S-Sorry, I just keep having sexual dreams for some reason, dammit…"

"No, no, it's okay!" I grabbed his wrists gently. "Don't cry, darling. It's perfectly normal. You're going to be seventeen this year, and you're almost the whole way through puberty. It's fine."

Lovino wiped away his tears. "U-uhm, well, yeah – I dreamt about you, so there, dammit."

Ah, he's so cute.

He's foul-mouthed and vulgar, yet shy and adorable at the same time.

But there's something I'm still curious about.

I looked into his eyes. "How did it feel like?"

"T-The dream?" Lovi flushed a darker shade of red. "I-It felt so real, and, um…"

He looked down at his crotch, and covered his face in his hands.

"Oh _nooooooooooooo…"_ he groaned.

I laughed. "Unfortunate accident? Hm, maybe we should clean you up, ahaha~"

"S-Shut up! If I had a uterus, it'd be fine, and I wouldn't fucking ejaculate in my sleep, dammit!"

"But you'd leak blood in your sleep."

He stopped. "Hm. Good point."

We both laughed, and I picked him up bridal-style, walking over to the bathroom.

He frowned. "You didn't have to start a whole make-out session in the bathroom, dammit."

"Ah, sorry. I got carried away again…"

"It's not a bad thing," he said, tossing the towel onto his head. "It was actually pretty fucking hot, you know – making out with your boyfriend in the shower, and nothing more."

I smiled. "So you enjoyed it?"

"That'd be the best way to put it, yes."

Lovi giggled. "You got a fucking hard-on in the shower, dammit. It kept poking me, and I was trying not to hyperventilate."

"AH, SORRY ABOUT THAT."

"S-STOP, I'M TICKLISH THERE, REMEMBER?! K-K-**_KYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"_**

We both went silent for a bit, and stared at each other.

"I-I'm sorry, I don't know what the fuck that was just then—"

"No, it was adorable," I said. "I've never heard you laugh like that before. Do it again for me sometime, won't you?"

Lovino looked away, hiding his smile. "Shut up."

I smiled. "You're very childish for your age, aren't you?"

"Again, thank you for stating the obvious."

"No, it's cute," I said. "You were like a little brother to me when I first met you at school, but you're much more than that, and you know that, right?"

Lovi giggled. "It makes me so fucking happy to hear those words from you. Thank you."

My arms wrapped around his small waist. "And you know what? You don't have to smile in front of others if it makes you uncomfortable or insecure. If you know that we all believe that you're beautiful, that is already enough. Besides, if you smile only for me, then it just strengthens the fact that you're mine, and only mine."

"Antonio…"

He gently pressed his lips to mine, and hugged me. "I love you. Please don't go anywhere without telling me, dammit."

"I promise I'll definitely tell you first before I go anywhere," I whispered.

My boyfriend smiled. "That's good. You know, every time we aren't together, I feel pretty fucking empty."

I raised my eyebrows. "Empty?"

"Yeah…" He grinned. "Hey, we've been talking so long, we didn't even bother to get fucking dressed."

"Oh, you're right! Oops."

He laid down on the bed, spreading out his legs for me. "I don't think I mind, though."

I flushed at the sight, and looked at him. "Do you think the people of the Underworld would mind if we had our first time a year before your eighteenth birthday?"

"Nope. They actually wanted me to do it two years ago, but I was only fifteen then – and that's fucking messed up, dammit."

We stared at each other for a moment, bursting into realization.

Lovi blushed. "A-Are you saying that you want to…"

His cock was now standing half-erect.

I shyly nodded. "Is it okay?"

He broke into a big grin. "Go gentle on me, dammit. If I shatter into a million pieces because of you and your excitement of losing your virginity, I'll still be able to have you executed in the Underworld."

I nodded. "Yeah, it's fine. I brought lube."

Lovino inched away from me. "Where the fuck did you…"

"Francis."

"Eww. Is that even safe to use?"

I chuckled. "It was still sealed and new from the store – he only gave it to me because his mom got suspicious and started checking all over his room and bags."

Lovi snorted. "Wow, mood. Okay, let's start. I don't even know how this is going to work. We both have zero experience."

"Ah, well, I researched a little, and apparently when it comes to having sex with someone of the same gender, there's a dominant person…and a submissive person…"

"You're the dominant one, then," he sighed. "You probably won't feel anything with my tiny dick, dammit."

"Stop being so mean to yourself," I accused. "You're almost eight inches. That's way above average."

"B-But—"

"I think it'd be better for you to shut your pretty little mouth for a few minutes, otherwise I'll have to punish you," I said sternly, gripping onto his wrists.

I could've sworn his cock got a little harder at my words. Does he like being dominated over?

Lovi smirked. "Mmm. _Kinky."_

"Last warning." I licked my lips, enjoying the little reactions coming out of him. "You're being naughty today, aren't you?"

"And you're being a cheesy bastard. What, you gonna tickle me again? _Tch."_

I sucked on his neck, erecting a little squeal from his lips, as I trailed little bites and kisses all the way down to his chest.

He giggled. "I-It feels good, but you're tickling me, dammit! Damn you—A-AHN!"

My lips pressed against his right nipple, and I began sucking on the small, delicate pink bud. I toyed with his left, rubbing it – causing him to shake a little from time to time.

A thought flew into my head, and I suddenly remembered what had happened during our first date.

The curl.

I gave it a sharp yet gentle pull, and Lovino screamed in pleasure, tugging on my hair.

Precum spilt out of the slit of his erect cock, as he continued to breathe heavily.

"More," he breathed. "More…"

Ah, how cute.

He wants more, doesn't he?

Letting go, a smirk crossed my face. "You're really desperate, aren't you?"

Lovino sat up, panting. He looked up at me. _"I-I'm not a slut!"_

Huh?

Wait, _what?_

His eyes were teary – he was on the verge of crying. "It feels really good – I can't help but make those noises and say shit like that, dammit! I-I'm not a slut or anything, I just—"

Tears trickled down his red cheeks, and I felt a pang of guilt and sympathy.

I really am inexperienced.

God, I'm such an idiot!

"Lovi, look at me."

He let out a little sob, and sniffled.

"Darling, I know you're not a slut," I whispered. "I'm so sorry. I promise I'll be gentle, okay? I just researched, and apparently being extremely dominant is supposed to turn the other on—"

"Be yourself," Lovino interrupted, his voice still shaky as he wiped away his tears. "I don't want you to hide behind a mask like that. I love you just the way you are – just as you love me, despite all my flaws, dammit!"

I sighed, sitting up again. "Darling, I'm so sorry. I'm young and stupid, and I let my mind take over."

Before I could say any more, he threw his arms around me.

"You kinda scared me when you were trying to be all hot and shit, but I forgive you, dammit."

He flipped over his position, so that his ass was facing me. "After all, I'm not a slut, right? I'm your slut."

"Lovino, are you trying to make me cry?"

"Dumbass."

I put my hand over my mouth. "Because you're succeeding in doing so."

My boyfriend grinned. "I love you. Fuck you."

"Don't you mean, 'fuck _me'?"_

"Oh, goddammit."

I gave a faint chuckle, as I lubed up my fingers.

Apparently this is supposed to be common knowledge – fingering your submissive partner before penetrating them. (Except I didn't know, because I'm an oblivious virgin, not a slutty puta.)

In other words…

…

**_…_****_Preparation before the penetration!_**

**"****You're thinking out loud again, dumbass!"** Lovino screeched, glaring at me. "Are we going to fuck, or not?"

Oh dear.

Are people's 'first times' usually this awkward?

Or is it just me?

I laughed. "Sorry, sorry…"

Lovino twitched at the sight of my sticky fingers. "Uhm…"

"Oh, I'm only going to put one in at a time, and it's up to you, really. You just let me know when you're ready for another finger or when you're ready for me to move~"

"I love how you're so enthusiastic even though you've already fucked up after only five seconds," he snorted.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, hush. Let the dominant one do the work."

Lovi roared in laughter. "D-Did you seriously just say that?!"

"I'm going to put my finger in now," I said.

Oh, wow. That sounds so weird.

"Psh. Do what you want. It isn't even an actual dick yet, dammit."

Man, this guy is so sassy!

"Okay, if you say so~"

I pushed my middle finger inside of him, causing him to twitch in slight shock.

"O-Oh," he gasped. "I-I…"

"Hm? But you finger yourself when you're alone, don't you?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm just a little startled…"

Ahh! So cute~

He's like a little kitty!

"Well, what are you waiting for, bastard? Move!"

Oops.

Slightly unsure at first, I began to slowly move my middle finger in and out of his entrance. His breaths began to speed up, his chest rising each time I pushed inside of him.

Suddenly, a cancerous thought entered my head.

A cancerous Alfred thought.

_"__Chungus,"_ I mumble, poking his stomach with my other hand.

My boyfriend stopped moaning, and the twisted, pleasured expression faded into a horrified one.

**"****What the fuck?"**

I stopped moving my finger.

"No. What the fuck did you just say?" He glared at me.

"Ch-Ch-Chun…gus…"

Lovino sat up and coughed, as if something were stuck in his throat.

"Lovi? Darling, are you okay?"

He burst into laughter. "Antonio, are you okay?!"

"U-U-Uhm, I—"

_"__NEXT FINGER!"_ Lovi yelled. "I'm horny and hungry, dammit!"

"Hungry…?"

"I'm gonna go get some pizza after we're done."

"Oh, okay!"

"Oh, two more fingers, please," he quickly said. "I can't wait any longer. I'm too goddamn excited."

I inserted two more, moving my three middle fingers inside of him.

Lovino's back arched, and he let out a yelp twisted with pain and pleasure.

"A-Are you _okay?!" _I exclaimed, horrified.

"Y-Yeah," he gasped. "I've never had that many inside of me before…it feel so fucking weird…"

"I'll go slow, okay? I don't want to hurt you…"

Lovino nodded, shaking a little. "I-I'm okay…you can move faster now."

God, he's so cute.

And…tight?

Continuing to thrust my fingers inside of him, I used my other hand to caress his cheek, hoping to somehow assure him that everything would be alright.

"I-I'm coming," he moaned. "I'm going crazy…"

Oh, good!

He looked back. "Antonio, you need to stop for a bit…I can't come right now…"

Oh…_bad?_

"I…I wanna come when you're inside of me…"

Oh, **_good!_**

I smiled. "Alright, then."

Lovino let out a somewhat disappointed sigh as I slid my fingers out of him, and he laid on his back, breathing heavily.

I spread his legs apart, trying to keep a relaxed expression on my face.

…

..While staring at my boyfriend.

My incredibly beautiful boyfr—

"Y-You're staring at me again." Lovi sat up, a worried look on his face as he covered himself with his arms. "Is something wrong?"

"No," I said, shaking my head. "I just can't help having someone this beautiful all to myself…"

Lovi blushed. "Um, well…"

"Ah, I'm sorry if I'm making you feel uncomfortable again!" I said, also feeling my face get hot, too.

"What?" There was confusion in his eyes. "I-I'm not uncomfortable…"

"You know – how when we first met, you said all that…"

"I said what?"

I sucked in a breath.

"I quote: 'Speak up, dumbass. I didn't come here to be oogled over by some gay bastard. Why are you staring at me?'"

"Oh."

His gaze lowered to the bed, as he fumbled with the fabric, his slender fingers clenching the sheets.

"I-I feel different about you now, though," Lovino said. "You know that I don't consider you to be creepy anymore, right?"

"I—"

He reached out to touch my face. "I love you. Let go of the past, Antonio. None of it matters anymore. All couples start out awkward at first, dammit."

He's right, I thought.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, caressing his chest.

Lovi smiled. "Stop apologising, stupid."

I spread the lubricant over my length, tensing at the somewhat cold sensation. Lining the tip of my fully-erect cock with his entrance, I looked down at him for permission. Lovi gave a little nod, before I plunged inside of him.

My boyfriend let out a cry of pain, clinging onto me. I winced, as I felt his nails digging into my skin.

"Lovino? Are you okay, _mi amor?!"_ I frantically asked.

"Fuck!" he cried. "It hurts, Antonio…"

"I'm sorry," I whispered. And then I remembered something.

I looked down at him. "Lie back down, darling."

Slightly uneasy from having my entire length inside of him, my boyfriend laid back down. I placed my hand over the base of his cock, and began to move it up and down. He let out a moan, as I leaned down to suck on the prominent curl resting on the top of his head.

"I-It feels good," he breathed. "You can move now."

"Are you sure? I'm not sure I'll be able to control myself once I start…"

It's true. He's so fucking tight. I can feel the muscles of his entrance tighting around me.

"It's fine," Lovi confirmed. "I'm sure."

"Okay, then. Let me know if anything's wrong, baby."

"D-Don't call me that, dammi—_A-AHHHH!"_

I began to thrust in and out of him, careful not to hurt him.

Though Lovino is vulgar and acts tough, I know that he is sensitive and delicate.

I wouldn't want to break someone as precious as him.

Leaning in, I kissed his cheek, because I couldn't bring myself to speak.

Not only because I was, well, fucking him (and because it feels so goddamn good), but because I'd probably end up crying if I said anything.

He doesn't know, but I've wanted this for so long.

I've wanted it as much as he did.

The days from the past year, when he would cuddle up to me in bed.

He'd strip in front of me, thinking that I wouldn't notice that he was trying to seduce me, while attempting to keep a somewhat innocent image.

Lovino, despite his occassional shyness, would always be the first one to slide in his tongue whenever I pulled him in for a kiss.

He's always wanted this – to make love with me, and he would always attempt to hide it.

He thought I never noticed, because I'm oblivious.

And here I am – having sex with the boy I love the most in the entire world.

But I am oblivious.

And I know that.

I didn't realise when Lovino started acting unusually quiet.

The blank look in his eyes whenever he woke up.

He'd be cranky as usual, but I had thought that it was merely just Lovino being, well, Lovino.

My beautiful boyfriend would greet me 'good morning' with the usual sarcastic smile.

But I was too oblivious to see through it.

I almost let him die at his own hands.

But I **fucking **swear – I will _never_ let that happen again.

I may be oblivious, dense and stupid when it comes to people's feelings, including my own, but I fucking swear – I will never make the same mistake again.

It breaks my heart to see him cry.

Seeing my Lovino cry is like being tortured.

I can't stand it.

But that smile of his is like a miracle.

No – let me rephrase that, like the sentimental idiot I am.

His smile **_is_** a miracle.

I looked down at Lovi, as I thrust in and out of him.

The little smile on his face, as he lets out little moans, knowing that he shouldn't be embarrassed of his sounds, because it turns me on, and because I love every inch of him.

His delicate, olive-skinned hands, gripping on mine.

The tears in his eyes – though I know that they are no longer tears of pain.

I took his curl into my mouth again, gently running my tongue along it. He tensed beneath me, his fingers clenching the curls of my hair.

"Faster," he breathed. _"Harder."_

I rammed in and out of his body, making him scream in pleasure.

His scream made me smile, as it made me remember what he had said last year.

_"__Thank you. I'll try not to be too loud, dammit."_

I smiled to myself. He had lied.

And I'm not disappointed.

**_"_****_T-THERE!"_** Lovino screamed. "Oh, YES, right there, Antonio…ahh, FUCK~~"

I'm a—

Oh, wait.

Let me rephrase that.

I was a virgin minutes ago, so I'm just going to assume that I hit his prostate.

His eyes were shut tight, his face flushed, as a bead of sweat dripped down his forehead, trickling all the way down from his nose, to his chin.

At last, the cord had snapped, and Lovino had hit his limit.

**_"_****_hH-HYAAaAAAAAAAHHHHHNNNN!"_**

As I let go of the curl, he climaxed, allowing my name to constantly fall from his lips. His semen hit my lower stomach area, and I sighed, releasing inside of him.

After a few minutes of waiting for the both of us to adjust and riding out our orgasms, I pulled out of Lovi, a string of semen connecting from the tip of my cock to his entrance.

The smell of love-making lingered in the (once pure) air of Lovino's bedroom, and I allowed myself to let out a sigh.

And yes, the tears came.

"Antonio…" Lovi looked up at me. His eyes widened, and he sat up, wincing at the slight pain in his behind.

"Antonio? A-Are you okay?" he asked, putting his hands on my shoulders. "Hey, don't cry…"

"I'm so happy," I sobbed, wrapping my arms around him. "I'm so, so, happy. Despite how awkward it was, today was our first time, and I guarantee that I will never forget it."

My boyfriend grinned. "I don't think I will, either. See, I'm still breathing like crazy, dammit." He pointed to his bare chest, stained with sweat and cum, lifting up and down with every breath.

I chuckled, coughing a little. "Are you okay, though? How was it?"

"Oh my god, do you really need to ask?"

A smile had spread across his face. His hair was messy – his bangs fell across the right side of his face. But despite his current state in appearance, he was still beautiful.

"It was amazing," Lovino managed to say, hugging me. "So,_ so_ fucking good, Antonio."

I kissed the top of his head. "I'm glad to hear that, darling."

He pulled back. "I especially liked when you caressed me, with such an inexperienced yet seductive expression on your face, and then the words escaped out of your lips – _'Chungus'_."

I covered my face with my hands. "Oh, Lovino," I groaned. "That was awful."

Lovi burst into peals of laughter. "I couldn't help myself, dammit. That part really got me. What even was going through your head at the time?"

"I was thinking about how you were so cute despite being a little chubby in the stomach and upper-arm areas, and then I thought of the Big Chungus meme! Stupid Alfred!"

"Hey, don't go off blaming others for your mistakes, dumbass!"

"But _Loviiiiii!"_

We laughed and fell back onto the bed, beside each other.

Today was wonderful.

Every day of our life together was, and is, wonderful.

There are ups and downs.

Things get awkward as hell.

Sometimes, Lovino starts acting like a _puta._

Sometimes _I_ start acting like a _puta._

But then we make up, kiss, hug, and it's all okay.

Just like a shitty Netflix movie.

Cliché, hm?

_Ay._


	23. Chapter 23

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Ew."/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino grimaced, looking at his naked reflection in the mirror. "Why'd we have to fall asleep right after we had sex, dammit?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Well, we were tired," I mumbled, getting out of bed. "By the way, how's your butt? Does it still hurt?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"When Lovi sat up in bed this morning, I was awakened by a loud, ear-shattering scream./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"His butt hurt from yesterday, and so now, I'm actually pretty concerned for him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Well, I'm concerned for him all the time, but still!/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He winced. "I'll be alright. It still hurts a little, but not as much as earlier, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Since yesterday was our first time, even though it was noon, we ended up sleeping right after we did it. And when I say 'sleeping', I mean sleeping. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"We slept throughout the entire day./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I'm going to go and take a shower," he grumbled. He looked back. "You coming?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"My eyes glittered in excitement. Shower with my em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"husband-but-not-husband-and-not-engaged-to-and-actually-boyfriend/em after sex?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Si~!"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovi sighed. "You know what? I just realised something."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Yesterday, we just had sex out of the blue. It wasn't planned."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I shrugged. "Eh. That happens with a lot of couples."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Yeah, but…" His hazel eyes shifted around in annoyance. "We did it right after we had a shower."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Hygiene!"/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" I said, grinning./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino scowled. "That's not the point! The shower was pointless! And we spent most of our time making out and giving each other little hugs and kisses while whispering sweet nothings in each other's ear BEFORE we actually started cleaning up! Do you realise how much my water bill must've skyrocketed yesterday?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Oops./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I forgot that we're staying at HIS place, not mine./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"...Oh, man./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I'd make a terrible husband, wouldn't I?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino glared at me. "What, are you trying to gain sympathy with puppy-dog eyes? Uh-uh. I don't think so, sweetheart. This is my fucking water bill we're talking about. I'm gonna have millions of DEBTS to worry about, dammit. Fucking hell."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Ah, I pissed him off…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Again…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He sighed. "God, now I sound like an angry wife in her 30s, dammit…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Yeah, you do./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Not that it's a bad thing to me, really./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Darling, I know it's not your fault. I'm sorry." His gaze lowered to mine. "I'm just stressed, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""You're in high school," I retorted. "You don't need to be this stressed all the time. I thought you said that you'd leave the Underworld behind."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino nodded. "Yeah. I'm sorry, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I smiled. "I forgive you. Now let's get dressed, before we get lost in ourselves and end up repeating yesterday's scenario!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…Um. What are you doing?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Ah, I promised Clarisse that I'd record a TikTok video for her—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Dumbass!" Lovino screeched. "Are you fucking kidding me?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Uhm…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I smiled. "Lovi, you've been more irritable than usual lately, are you okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He nodded. "I'm fine…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Darling, you can tell me. Is there something that's bothering you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""No, I don't think so." The look in his eyes was genuine. "I don't think there's anything bothering me, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Lovino, I think you're just stressed," I sighed. "You may appear to be lazy and annoying to everyone else, but I know that you work very hard. You should re—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I sighed. "What is it now?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Nothing. I just dropped a fucking plate. I'll go clean it up. I'm feeling kind of blank…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I actually feel like I'm taking care of a small child right now./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He really is tired, isn't he?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Ah, well. He's a second year in high school now. He'll be graduating at the end of next year./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Hey."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I looked down at him. "Hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Don't worry about me, okay? I'll just sleep for a while." Lovino smiled at me. "So don't worry."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Wait," I said. "I'll stay with you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""You remembered," he sighed. "That I still get nightmares about the Underworld whenever I'm sleeping alone."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I nodded. "Of course I remembered, Lovi. Also, I'm glad you're finally taking care of yourself properly."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"During the last few months, Lovino had been getting thinner and thinner, and he'd fall asleep in class a lot more than he usually did. I had managed to cheer him up, but during exam week, he started eating a lot more than he usually does./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"This guy is inconsistent./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""The fuck are you staring at, Antonio?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Uhm. Your shirt is backwards…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Oh. Guess I'll just take it off—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I picked him up, carrying him into the bedroom bridal-style (again)./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Dammit, I feel like our love is too cliché," he snorted. "Don't you think so?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Hmm, I guess there em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"are/em a few Disney-esque moments here and there, but…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""A few?! The only thing that wasn't cliché was when you said 'chungus' during sex," Lovino laughed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I shrugged. "Honestly, if you suddenly yelled 'TOMATO' the next time we do it, I wouldn't be surprised."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Antonio!"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Ahahahahahahaha~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino grinned. "You know, even though you have the stereotypical Spanish name – Antonio, I still love your name so much, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I grinned. "What even was your first impression on me, exactly?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Uhm. That you were a fucking gay dude? Oh, but I also thought that you were probably really a passionate dude who's good at seducing girls. Turns out I was wrong about everything."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Are you disappointed?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovi glared at me. "Are you stupid?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I smiled. "So you aren't disappointed that I didn't turn out to be who you expected?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Of course not, stupid. If you were what I expected, we probably wouldn't have even ended up together. None of this would've happened./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino sighed. "Antonio, having sex with you was one of the best things I had ever done in my entire life of sixteen years. Not only because it felt good – which it DEFINITELY did, but because I love you, and, uhm, well…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He became flustered, not knowing what to say next./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Don't push yourself," I said. "I already know how you felt about it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovi shrugged, lying down beside me on the bed. "I didn't realise you'd be so good at dominating, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Flattered, I laid next to him, wrapping my arms around his body. "I think you'd do a good job, too."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Key word: good./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I'm going to be honest here – Lovino, despite being half incubus, is even more inexperienced than I am when it comes to sex, so I don't know how he would work on the top./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He smirked. "Damn right I would. But I get hornier than you do, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Yeah, but it isn't your fault, Lovi. You were born half incubus."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Yeah, yeah, so I'm a sex demon," he snorted. "That's beside the point. I'd be able to fuck you so well – you'd come out of your butt—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Lovino, I'm not sure that's how it works."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Sure it does, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Have you even paid attention in health class…? This is, uhm, common sense."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He put his hands on his hips. "You're just scared you won't be able to get my seven inch cock inside of you~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""That's so dumb."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"We laughed for a while, and I glanced at him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""You're the shortest out of everyone, aren't you?" I asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovi rolled his eyes. "You're just trying to change the subject! Oh, but yeah – I'm the shortest after Kiku."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""So cute!" I squealed. "You really are like a little kitty, aren't you? Aaaaaahhh!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Huhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh?! H-Hey, let me go, you bastard! strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"CHIGIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"/em/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino woke up, and pinched my cheeks. strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;""Boo."/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I grinned. "Morning—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""We're late for school, dumbass. Yesterday was Sunday."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Oops." I looked around. "We'd better go, then~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino and I had managed to remember to stay in our separate beds before sleeping. Sometimes we'd forget, but we remembered most of the time, so that was okay./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Alfred and Arthur had a fight recently, but I'm pretty sure they'll be back to normal soon./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Feliciano and Ludwig seem happy, too./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Clarisse is still single./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I feel bad for her, and Lovino claims that he doesn't care./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But I know that he's lying, because I sometimes catch him talking about it with her./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He's a good person to her, too – though they fight a lot, he always comforts her whenever she's down – in his own way./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I grinned. "You've gotten taller, though. You used to be here."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Bastard. Over the past year, I've only grown half an inch, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""That's okay~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""How is okay that based on height, I only grew half an inch, when my penis grew an ENTIRE inch?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Ah. Good point./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I grinned. "That's oka—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Shut up. C'mon, get dressed already. You don't wanna enter homeroom in your tomato boxer shorts, do you?"/span/p 


	24. Chapter 24

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Days have passed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino is in demon form again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I don't know how the hell I'm supposed to tell when it's going to happen, but he's pretty cute when he's a demon!/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Not that he em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"isn't/em cute as a human, but still./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHis tail flicked around. "I'm fucking hungry, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I sighed. "Food's almost done."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Did Clarisse even help?" he asked expectantly./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Of course I helped!" my cousin called back./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Clarisse is one of the very few people who know about Lovino being a half-blood – besides me, Arthur, Ludwig, Feli and Francis. And why does Francis know, you ask? Well, it's complicated – something to do with Arthur./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"And I dislike Arthur very much, so I'm not going to interfere with anything that has to do with him~/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Oh, and Gilbert knows, too – and that's why he's here. But he's trustworthy, despite his personality./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Hey, stop sulking," Clarisse said, glaring at my boyfriend. "I get that you're in your demon form again, and so you have to stay home – but people have bigger problems than you do! Look at me – I'm on my period, but I'm still going strong! em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Man up, /emKuya Lovi!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino looked at me, his eyes pleading. "Antonio! She's pissing me off again!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I chuckled. "Sorry, but I have to agree with Clarisse. You're overreacting. You've lived with this your whole life."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"His wings spread open, and he glared at me with his crimson eyes, one of his slightly fanged teeth pointing out. "I hate you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Oh, he's in a mood, alright," Gilbert said. "My little brother gets in a whole lot of those, too."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Ludwig glared down – and I mean em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"down/em, (He's so much taller than his em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"older/em brother that it's scary) at his brother. "I can hear you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Why em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"meeeeeeeeee?"/em Lovino whined, hanging his head down low. I laughed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Feli smiled. "It's okay, fratello! I'm a demon, too, remember?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The younger Italian's horns were curled, much like a ram's, and they were some sort of a cream color. In contrast to Lovino's dark red, his wings were white and feathered, almost as if he were an angel, but not quite. His tail, however, was almost identical to Lovino's, only it was white./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Does Alfred know about you two?" Francis asked, taking a sipspan style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanof his wine./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino shook his head. "I'm thinking of telling him. He's my best friends, dammit. And even though he's a big meme, he's a good guy, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I smiled. "Tell him when you're ready, darling."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I mean, it's fine. He already knows about the Underworld – because he's literally dating the fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"heir/em."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Who's dating the air?" Gilbert called back, looking up from his game. "Sorry, couldn't hear you. Hey, Lud, wanna play League of Legends with me? I'm awesome at it!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""No thanks," Ludwig mumbled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Heir/em, Gilbert," I sighed. "Not air."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Oh. Oops."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Feli grinned. "Hey, fratello, wanna go flying outside with me?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Ludwig's eyes widened. "But people aren't exactly accustomed to seeing flying demons in the sky…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""We can turn invisible so that only fellow demons can see each other," Feli said, grinning./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino sighed. "Not interested, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""You're in a particularly foul mood today," Arthur mumbled. "Did Antonio do something?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I wouldn't mess with him if I were you," I said, smiling./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Ugh, you two are so fucking stupid! I'm leaving." Lovi glanced at his little brother. "I guess I will be flying with you, after all, Feli."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Yay~" Feliciano cheered, looking pleased./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Lovino—" I protested, but he slammed the front door./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Ludwig sighed, glaring at me and Arthur./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""They'll be back," Arthur sighed. "They're half-bloods. They'll be back soon. I'd know, because I'm a half-blood myself, bloody hell."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The brothers did eventually come back, and Lovino was crying…again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"According to Feliciano, they had a little talk about our relationships, and Feli had announced that he'd start living with Ludwig in a quaint little town, in Germany, once they both graduate./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Which, of course, sent Lovino into hysterics./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"By the time they had gotten back home, Lovi was trying to calm down, but all that came out were little sniffles and sobs. Even Clarisse pitied him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Despite their arguments, they seem like they were once close," Clarisse had said. "And maybe Kuya just wants to, I don't know – recreate that connection that was once there."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Her words had stuck around in my head for a while. No wonder Lovi had been so upset when Feli told us about his relationship with that macho guy./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He had locked himself in his room, not daring to come out./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Hnngh. He really is like a kid, isn't he?br /I want to be annoyed, but I just can't seem to get angry at him, no matter what he says or does./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Maybe it's because I understand him, unlike everyone else./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Hesitatingly, I knocked on the door. "Lovi?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"No reply./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Baby, it's me. Open up?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Hm. This was going to be harder than I thought./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The door creaked open, and I came face to face with a very teary Lovino./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Harder than I thought? Maybe not, after all./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"hate /emhim!"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino burst into tears, sobbing into his knees. His wings had folded back, his tail flat on the bed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I squeezed his hand. "Lovi, you don't hate him. You're just upse—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""He didn't fucking tell me!"/span/strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" he screamed. "He didn't tell me em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"anything /em– about the fact he had a crush on the potato bastard, that they started dating, and that they've got plans to live together, now! Fuck! I actually can't with him anymore! He might as well as leave me if he hates me that much – enough to leave me out of everything!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino began to quiet down, though he was still shaking, face buried in his hands, sniffling./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I pity him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But if I had to be honest here…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Feliciano is a very optimistic boy. He only tries to see the good in things, except for when he's scared – that's when he'll start depending on the aid of those around him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But he's very caring. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He knew that Lovino wouldn't be happy about their relationship. He knew that it would only minimize the chances of ever becoming close to him again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I put my hand on Lovi's shoulder, letting out a sigh. "Darling, listen to me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Don't you fucking 'em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"darling' /emme!" he yelled, pushing my hand away./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Realizing his actions, he broke down again, hugging me. "I-I'm so fucking sorry. I just can't right now."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I understand. But Lovino, I know why Feli didn't tell you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""WHY?! WHY IS HE ALWAYS LEAVING ME OUT OF EVERYTHING?!"/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovi's beautiful face was now streaked with tears, his entire face red with anger and hurt./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Why does everyone leave me out of everything, dammit? I get that I'm not as happy as Feliciano, but despite our one year difference, we're practically twins, dammit. So how am I any different, besides our personalities? I'm a bad person, aren't I?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"His words broke my heart, and I shook my head. "Of course you aren't a bad person, darling. You're different to Feliciano, and that's what makes you, well…you!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I'm sick of it!"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I sighed. This was too much, even for him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Lovino, I shower you with compliments and always tell you sweet things. Is that not enough? Everyone around you does, but you never let go of the past. The past is the past."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""You wouldn't fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"know/em how I feel, you bastard! Have you forgotten that I'm going to be publicly tortured in the Underworld on the day of the supposed arranged marriage, alongside you, my little brother, and his boyfriend?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Casting him a glare, I stood up from the bed. "I honestly can't believe that we're having this conversation, really. You only think about yourself. You're so em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"selfish!/em Can't you think of someone other than strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"me or yourself/strong for once?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Tears bubbled in his eyes, and he started shaking even more. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He had started to cry again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Nothing new./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I…I em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"hate /emyou," he said in a shaky, low voice. "I fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"hate /emyou. I should've known from the beginning that this would happen, dammit. I should've fucking known – after all, we fell in love when we were only in our first and second year. High school relationships never last long."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"His words hit me like a truck, and I grabbed his shoulders, shoving him down to the bed. He snorted./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Oh, now what're you gonna do? em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Rape me?/em I'm just a em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"toy/em to you, aren't I?" Lovino snapped. strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;""Whore."/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I thought you em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"loved /emme!" I yelled. "How could you say that?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Hm. You know what, Antonio? You're always right. Especially now. You know, I thought I loved you, too. But your words hurt me, and—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""You're such a fucking selfish brat,"/span/strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" I retorted, holding onto his small, frail wrists. "Sure, you're the prince of the Underworld. It means nothing to me, now that I've realised how much you shove it in my face – that you're going to be tortured or whatever."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Go."/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""When you tried to kill yourself? Did you not even think about how it would affect those around you? Are you em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"that /emselfish – deciding to take your life without thinking of the others?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Get out,"/span/em/strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" he snapped, his face blank from all the crying./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I stepped up, and held onto the doorknob. "I hope you're happy. You're a prince – the next heir, and you managed to experience your first high school love. I hope you find your next soon. strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"Goodbye, Lovino."/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Shutting the door behind me, the last thing I heard that moment was the sound of Lovino screaming – a painful, agonising sound I would want to, but would never forget./span/p 


	25. Chapter 25

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The day we had committed our love to each other in Lovino's bedroom, I really em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"had/em thought that we would stay together for the rest of our lives./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Ludwig glanced at me. "It's my fault again, isn't it?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Oh, hello. What?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""That you two broke up. Lovino attempted and failed to commit suicide after Feliciano revealed that we were in a relationship, and he broke up with you shortly after his brother announced that we were going to begin living together soon."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I shook my head. "No, it's not your fault, Ludwig. He overreacted."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He stared at me, his icy blue eyes piercing my green ones. "You're being an em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"asshole,/em Antonio. That man was truly in love with you. He always had some sort of a crazy look in his eyes whenever he was together with y—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Listen, Ludwig,"/span/strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" I said, lowering my voice to a stern whisper, "em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"I /emwas the one who decided to end things with that troublesome brat, strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"not/em/strong him. And I don't plan on getting back together with him, either. There is nothing you can do about it. We are no longer dating, and will em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"not/em engage in any sort of friendship, either."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Ludwig sighed. "I suppose I can't force anything on you – that wouldn't be right. If Francis were here, he'd say that line of his – em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'love cannot be forced'/em. And it is the truth. But I hope that you will make wiser choices in the future – you breaking up with Lovino was a big thing, and it will most likely never leave your head. You will think about it constantly. Good day, I'll see you at class, Antonio."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Clarisse grinned. "You going to the tree again?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Lovino isn't there today. I wonder why. Should we look for him? I'll help you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Oh, that's right. I didn't tell her yet./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""That won't be necessary," I replied calmly. "So, let's go to the tree and have lunch, hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"My cousin raised her eyebrows. "It isn't like you to be like this – ignoring Kuya Lovi—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""You can stop calling him 'Kuya' now, Clarisse."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Huh?" A look of confusion spread across her face. "Why?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Because it's over."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""What, is he going to be tortured today? That soon? Doesn't that mean that you'll also—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I shook my head. "We broke up, Clarisse."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The next thing I saw was her hand going straight to my face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""What the hell?! Why did you ju—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I hate you,"/span/strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" Clarisse said, her hands in fists. "I em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"hate /emyou."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""You didn't like him either, thoug—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""ARE YOU em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"THAT /emDENSE?!" she cried. "I saw him as a big brother. I was hoping that you two would get married, just so that I'd be somewhat related to him. I had a crush on him when I was little, and now you're telling me that I'll never see him again?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""If you really liked him em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"that/em much, why didn't you just goddamn em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"tell/em him, instead of letting em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"us/em fall in love with each other?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Because I thought that you guys were meant for each other," Clarisse screamed. "I cared about you two. I can't believe that you're em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"THAT /emoblivious – to the point that you would fall for my endless lies about not appreciating his presence. And sure – I'll see him every day at school, but he won't talk to me, either. And you were the only one who could smile."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I think I'll eat alone today," I said. "You can come back once you've regained your common sense."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Clarisse walked off, wiping away her tears./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Bro…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Alfred stared at me. "Can I ask something?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""We broke up. Now stop asking questions."/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The smile immediately vanished from Alfred's face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Uhm, I was going to ask you if you were going to eat that last churro…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I shook my head. "You can have it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Still, though – you're so relaxed about it…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""What? The food?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Alfred adjusted his glasses, his eyes serious. "I may be chubby and muscular, but I'm not stupid, Antonio."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Of course I'm relaxed about it," I snapped. "I'm the one who broke up with him."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""He's going through a lot, though—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""What is it with all of you? Can't I be left alone for a bit?"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""It's not like you to want to be alone," Yao protested. "It's definitely bothering you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Ivan sighed. "Maybe we should leave him alone for a bit, da? He is very upset."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I amstrong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;" not /em/strongupset!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""You're being childish," Francis sighed. "In the meantime, let's change the subject."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"After all the commotion yesterday, Ludwig, Arthur and Alfred decided that it would be best to leave for a bit. Feliciano had stayed with his brother, but apparently he had been crying so much, he stayed in bed without a word for the entire day, not even to go to the bathroom./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBut why is he crying? Didn't he tell me that he hated me?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Inconsistent boy./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"So stupid./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"POV (Lovino)/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Ever since yesterday, I had stayed home from school./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I stayed in my room, in bed, not daring to get out./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Sure, it sounds childish./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But his words still hurt./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""You're such a fucking selfish brat. Sure, you're the prince of the Underworld. It means nothing to me, now that I've realised how much you shove it in my face – that you're going to be tortured or whatever."/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I hope you're happy. You're a prince – the next heir, and you managed to experience your first high school love. I hope you find your next soon. Goodbye, Lovino."/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Is this how it really is going to be? Hell, it's either I go through with the arranged marriage – which Feliciano and I absolutely do not want, dammit – or be executed in public./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"A crime such as breaking a tradition can be solved with torture – but something such as not falling in love with anybody, or resigning from your position, can end in death./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"And I don't want to die./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I feel like I've told myself that a million times./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"No, more./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Much/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" more than a million./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But it's not all about me, right?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I am a em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"prince./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I'm a man of royalty./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"And right now, I don't really feel like living./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"It's as if I almost wish that he had never stopped me from commiting suicide./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But in reality, what he said yesterday was true, right?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""When you tried to kill yourself? Did you not even think about how it would affect those around you? Are you that selfish – deciding to take your life without thinking of the others?"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I burst into tears again, muffling my sobs with my pillow./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Why? /span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Why did he break up with me?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I hate him for what he said./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But I'm still crying./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"If I really did hate him, would I have even cared that he left me?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Would I still be in tears right now?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I didn't get any sleep last night./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I've been crying for more than twelve hours now./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I can't even imagine what my reflection looks right now, but that doesn't matter./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Oh, look. I'm actually thinking about my reflection right now./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He's right. I really am selfish./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Right now, I feel like cutting myself again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The cuts on my arms, once covered with Clarisse's Hello Kitty bandaids, were now healed and dry – white and puckered up./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But they didn't bother me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But I can't kill myself./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Suicide is selfish, isn't it?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"His smile still remains in my mind./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"No, I can't./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"It's not like I completely hate him – but I don't love him, either./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The memory of that day made me cry all over again, remembering what had happened./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"His soft touches./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Whispers of sweet nothings./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"How he was crying tears of happiness after we had both come./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I felt a lump in my throat, and I choked on another tear./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He had been so happy./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I had been happy, too./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"It should be a memory that would cheer me up whenever I'm down./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Not like this./span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I wanted to live the rest of my life with him, never apart (unless one of us has to go to work or some other shit like that)./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Not like this./span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I had lost my virginity to him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I should be angry about it – the fact that the man who took me left me in the dark, just like that./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Threw me under the fucking bus./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But I'm not angry./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"It hurts./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"God, it em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"hurts./em/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I've never felt like this before./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"It's em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"painful./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I've heard that you shouldn't remain as friends with your ex./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I still love him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"It's cliché – I know, but I can't seem to let go./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Well, it's only been a day. Maybe I'll eventually get over it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""We'll call our first child Lovina!"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I was actually thinking of Maria, dammit…"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Huh? But that's kinda…"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""It's Spanish, right? I like it. Ahahaha~"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He was the only one who was capable of making me laugh like that./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Bro!"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Startled, I pulled off the covers./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Al, what're you—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Oh, man." The American rushed over, and knelt down beside me. "Dude. You look…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Shitty?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He nodded. "Very."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"My breaths were unsteady, as I cried in my best friend's arms. He took off his glasses, letting out a sigh./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I wiped away my tears, hiccuping. "Y-You're crying, too…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Duh. You're my best friend. I feel bad for you. And him, too. It's only common sense for me to cry with you." He wiped away a tear, a sad smile on his face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"My arms were wrapped around Alfred. "T-Thanks…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Dude, don't mention it. I'm a hero, remember?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I choked out a laugh. "Al, em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"please."/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Lovino?!"/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""LovinonOnonONoNOnoNoNOO?!"/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I grimaced. "The em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"twins/em are here, too?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Yeah. Arthur has work, so he couldn't come. But he's worried about you, too, trust me. He told me to tell you to calm down, and to not hurt yourself, at all costs, no matter what."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"My heart fluttered a little. Arthur? The asshole who didn't give a shit about most people?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Tyler kicked open the door. "Lovino!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I sat up. "Hey…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Oh my God, I thought you were dead," his twin gasped./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I raised my eyebrows. strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;""Dead?"/em/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""What he means is, we thought you had attempted suicide or something again, dude," Tyler said. "You're going through a lot of shit. I'm sorry about that."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I put a hand to my mouth, horrified. "I-Is anyone else here, too, dammit?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Tyler shook his head. "No. We snuck out of school grounds, just so we could see if you were okay."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Which you're apparently not," Alex added, looking me up and down. "Man, you're a mess."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Really…?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Alfred snorted. "Alex, at least he's em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"alive!/em Geez, man!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I allowed myself to crack a smile – just a little one. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Tyler gaped at me. "H-He em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"smiled!"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I'm not a fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"baby/em," I muttered under my breath in annoyance. "Of course I can smile, dammit. I just choose not to often."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Alfred sighed. "Well, me and the crew have to get back to school. We'll get in trouble if they find out."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I'll stay here," Tyler offered./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I shook my head. "Bro, you'll get screwed."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Screwed because I was trying to comfort a friend who's down in the dumps? Sounds like a good reason to be stuck in detention."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Tears filled my eyes, and I hugged the brunet. "T-Thank you, you bastard. That really means a lot to me, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Alfred grinned, holding the door open. "We'll be off, then. Seeya!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Take care. Don't do anything stupid," Alex added, shutting the door behind them. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Oh, and we already know about the Underworld, by the way," Alfred called back./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Shut up!"/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" Tyler screamed. "People might hear!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The door shut./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Not long after, it swung open again, and Alex peeped in. "Be sure to listen to K-Pop."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"This time, I allowed myself to let out a giggle, followed by a snort. "Sure."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""ALEX!" Tyler screamed. "To em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"hell/em with you and your K-Pop!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Alfred held the doorknob, waving at me, before shutting it again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Tyler gave me a small smile. "So, I heard about what happened."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Tears filled my eyes again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Ah, sorry, sorry," he quickly said. "I'll stay with you, okay? Because we're friends."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I nodded. "I'm sorry if I keep crying, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""No, I totally understand. How about we go out somewhere? Then we can talk."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Where?" I asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"A dorky grin spread across his face, his blue eyes wide with excitement. "Starbucks?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I snorted. "Cliché, but okay. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Starfucks/em it is, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Tyler laughed at my comment, and helped me out of bed. "C'mon, let's go. I'll help ya."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I stared at my reflection in the mirror, in the same way I did the day after I had lost my virginity to Antonio./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…Ew."/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Tyler laughed. "I have to admit, you do look like shit at the moment."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""A true friend wouldn't be afraid to point out things like that," I agreed, giggling. "Thanks, Tyler."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"My hair was all over the place, and my curl was laying flat. My eyebags were dark from the lac of sleep, and I had gotten thinner. I looked down at my clothes, which were torn from when I had screamed after Antonio had left the room./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The memory resurfaced, and I tried to keep myself from crying again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Tyler grinned. "Okay, I brought spare clothes, so I'll just change into them~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I nodded, and began rummaging through my wardrobe./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"It was okay for me to go out, as overnight, the time period had ended, and I was able to hide my wings again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Damn," Tyler said, raising his eyebrows. "Do I spy a gay man in front of me?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I snorted. "My fashion sense has kind of changed ever since I started hanging out with Liz and Leon, dammit. Also, I'm em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"bisexual."/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Eh," he replied, shrugging. "Close enough."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"When we had gotten in Tyler's car, despite there only being two of us, it was chaos./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Tyler had cranked up the em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Panic! At The Disco /emmusic to fit the mood, and we were both screaming the lyrics to every song./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I love how you sound so angry even while singing," he laughed, after the last song had ended./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Damn right," I agreed. "I guess I am kind of pissed at the moment."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""At Antonio?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I shook my head. "Me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Dude…" Tyler sighed. "We'll talk about this at Starbucks, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""StarFUCKS," I corrected him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Starfucks," /span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"he agreed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Coffee?" Tyler asked, looking down at what I had ordered. "And em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"black,/em too. Mood."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I shrugged. "I mean, I em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"am /emin a bit of a mood, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"In case I started crying em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"again /emin the middle of our conversation, Tyler made sure that we sat at the back, away from the other customers. I smiled to myself. He really is a good guy./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""So, I know that he broke up with you, but what exactly happened back there?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I sighed. "I started ranting about Feliciano and the potato bastard again, and then he pointed out that I keep shoving my own problems in his face, hoping to get some sort of sympathy. In other words, he thinks I'm using him. Which I kind of was. I was em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"begging/em for sympathy."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Oh, jeez," Tyler said, raising his eyebrows. "And then?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""We started screaming at each other. But I was the one who started it – and I told him that I hated him for what he said, but I didn't want this to happen, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Before I knew it, I was in tears again, sobbing softly. Tyler sighed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Dude, I feel like Toni's upset, too."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""What?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"His eyes shifted around. "He doesn't say much about you – and always tries to avoid the topic—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Because he hates me," I mumbled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Let me finish," Tyler said. "He's being unusually quiet, doesn't sit with us at the tree anymore, and here's the crazy part – his em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"grades/em are dropping."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I went silent. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Antonio was always a 'straight-A's' person./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""They started from going from em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"As/em all the way to em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Bs,/em and now he's sitting at astrong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;" D/em/strong average, Lovino. Something's wrong. He also doesn't eat often."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Oh my God. /span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Antonio./span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""He acts calm, but we all know that something's wrong, Lovino. He's worried. Not about your former relationship with him, but he's worried if what he said was too much."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The words em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'former relationship'/em hit me hard again, like a punch to the stomach, but I shook it off./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"It still seems like a dream./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Had everything been a lie? The times we spent together, the way he made me laugh, our first time?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I shook it off. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Right now, I'm with Tyler, and I'm supposed to be enjoying myself, dammit./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I sighed. "So he's not acting like himself lately, is he?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I wouldn't say that. He's still very calm and laid-back. He still smiles a lot, too. But there's something missing. I don't know what it is."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Taking a sip of my coffee, I glanced at the Californian, making direct eye contact with him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I'm going to school tomorrow."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He grinned. "Nice job!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I threw my arms around Tyler, trying to fight back the tears. /span/p 


	26. Chapter 26

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"As soon as I showed up to school in the morning, I had noticed that some of the students were glancing my way, with somewhat worried expressions on their faces./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The fuck is em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"their /emproblem? /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"A thought occurred to me – had the others told anyone about our breakup?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But they wouldn't have any reason to do that…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"…Right?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Clarisse spotted me, and began to walk beside me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Her hand grabbed mine, and she rushed to the dormitory./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I'm not even allowed in here," I muttered. "In your dorm. I can't be in the girls' dorms. It's against the rules."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""But I snuck into Feli's room, remember? For the party?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I nodded. "Yeah, but wouldn't your roommate be pissed?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"She exhaled. "My roommate is Liz. And she's out at the moment. We need to talk."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Oh…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Clarisse shut the door, and stood at the doorway./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…Clarisse?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"She turned to me, and tears were rolling down her cheeks./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Clarisse?!" I rushed to her, and she burst into tears./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"She looked up at me, sobbing. "I hate him. Kuya Toni…he…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Clarisse, calm down," I said. "So you found out. Sure. But—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I HATE HIM!"/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I hugged her, as we both sunk to the ground. I kissed her on the cheek, attempting to calm her down./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Why?!"/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" she sobbed. "Aren't em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"you/em upset, too?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I nodded, my eyes teary. "Of course I'm upset, Clarisse. I'm so fucking mad at myself. But it's not entirely his fault."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""How is it em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"your/em fault in any way?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Because I was kinda using him. Just to feel good about myself."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Clarisse wiped away her tears, sitting close by me. I put my arm around her, whispering to her to calm down./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I don't hate him, but I'm so angry," she quietly said. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I nodded. "I'm hoping that we can at least somehow still be friends, but…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""He doesn't want to talk to anyone. How are you—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I'll try," I muttered under my breath. "I'll do anything to at least get him to talk to me again, dammit. Anything."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"She hugged me again. "I'm sorry for being mean to you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I smiled a little. "It's alright, but you're still a thotty."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Clarisse laughed. "Stupid."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"My hand went over to hers. "em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Mahal kita,"/em I mumbled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"She raised her eyebrows, and gaped at me. "Did you just…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Google Translate…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Clarisse grimaced. "Ew."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""You're late," Ms. Ren snapped./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I shrugged. "Sorry."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"She sighed. "Are you alright? You look a bit down…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""When isn't he?" someone snorted. I turned bright red at the remark./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I nodded. "I'm fine."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I sat at my desk – next to Antonio./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He looked pretty normal – wearing the same expression he did on our first day last year – the day he met me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Are we really back to square one again?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I shook off the thought, sitting down./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Lovino? Please read from paragraph 3."/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Uhm…" I flipped the pages of my textbook, a little flustered. I had gotten lost in my thoughts again. "Sorry, miss, I can't find it…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Here," Antonio mumbled, pointing below the page. "Read from there."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…Thanks…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"As I read the line aloud, my heart fluttered at the thought of him talking to me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But there was definitely something missing./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Well, I can't blame him. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He literally just broke up with the first love of his life the other day./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"…Hm./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I sat by the tree again, with everyone else. They all gaped at me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""You aren't looking good at all," Ivan said, a hint of concern in his voice. "What happened?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Holy shit," Gilbert said. "You've gotten so thin. And your eyes…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I shrugged. "I didn't sleep or eat. I do that sometimes. Nothing new. So what?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I will fucking kill Antonio if he ever dares to come back to this tree," Liz mumbled. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Shaking my head, I looked at the ground. "Please don't lash out at him, dammit. It'll only make things worse. And it's not entirely his fault. It was his choice. I hit his limit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Alfred shrugged. "He has some nerve if he decides to show up here anytime soon."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"We all looked behind us./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Antonio was standing behind us, his lunch in his hands, a normal expression on his face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Gilbert grimaced. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Hey…" He sat next to Francis, and I sighed. He had picked the spot farthest from me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Needless to say, it was awkward./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Yao and Alfred tried to liven up the mood by coming up with some crazy conversation-starters, but it didn't help./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"My brother started crying, and Ludwig had to walk away with him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I actually feel bad for the potato bastard, dammit. It wasn't his fault./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Antonio looked at the ground, playing with a blade of grass./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI sighed, trying to hold back the tears./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Alfred sighed. "The bell's about to go soon. Anyone wanna trade food?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I have to go," Antonio said, giving a little smile, though it was obviously fake. "I'll be late for class."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"We all nodded, picking up our belongings, walking to class./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I heard Clarisse mutter, "Asshole" to her cousin, before walking beside me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I haven't said anything to him yet, but I know that he's avoiding me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He'll talk to me every now and then – but only while doing a school project./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He's all about studying now – he doesn't even talk to any of his friends./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"A month had gone by, and he had still been quiet./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Lovino, I'll do this part of the homework, then you'll do that part – and then we'll combine our answers."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"No. Not Lovino./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Lovino?"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Call me em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Lovi./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He looked at me. "Are you okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I nodded. "Y-Yeah…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Then…can we study at your house?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Yeah…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"It was quiet./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Too/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" quiet./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Antonio looked at me. "You've gotten thinner. Are you eating well?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He let out a sigh. "You know, I don't hate you, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I shook my head. "You're lying."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I feel like you're the one who hates me, actually."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"No./span/strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" Stop it, Lovino. Don't cry./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"You can't cry in front of him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Not now./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He isn't your boyfriend anymore./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He looked at me, making eye contact with me for the first time in a while. "We can be acquaintances, if you want—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Antonio, I…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Tears filled my eyes, and I began to panic./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"No./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Stop crying./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Stop fucking crying, you fuckingem style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;" idiot./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But I want to be more than just acquaintances./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Being friends again would be nice, but I want more./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Having a crush on each other is even nicer, but I want even more than that./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Just dating is already amazing, but…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I don't want you./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"need/em you./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Lovino."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Trying to keep myself together, I nodded. "Yeah…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""We can be friends."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"No, no, no, no./span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I can't cry./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Close friends?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Nononononononononononononononononononononono./span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I nodded, sighing. "Friends…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Antonio looked down. "You know, holding in your feelings isn't good for you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""What do you mean…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I know that you want to cry."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"A tear trickled down my cheek./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I know that you're holding it in."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He dropped his textbook and pen./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""You can cry if you want to. I won't make fun of you. I promise."/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"There was that familiar, sincere tone in his voice, and the dam in my throat broke./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I hiccupped, and burst into tears, my face in my hands./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I…I can't do this anymore," I sobbed. "It's already been three days, but…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I wasn't even looking up from my hands, so I couldn't see or even imagine the expression on his face right now./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Breathing at an unsteady rate, I let out a frustrated scream, muffled in my hands./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Lovino…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Please…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Call me em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Lovi /emagain, Antonio. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Please./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I continued to cry – there wasn't a time I could remember where I had cried this much./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Sure – I had been physically and verbally abused throughout my childhood, but I had never cried like this./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Antonio's hand slipped into mine./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But it did nothing to stop me from crying./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He looked at me. "I was too harsh on you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Damn right/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" you were./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I was stupid to say all of those things."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Exactly./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But why do I still love you?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Lovino…"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Dammit. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I can't do this anymore./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Lovino. Listen to me. Look at me."/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I lifted my face from my hands, and he threw his arms around me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""We're probably only going to remain as friends from now on, but I want to let you know that I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say all of that. I'm sorry I hurt you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Sobs continued to fall from my lips, and I hugged him tightly, not wanting to let go./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I…I…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"As much as I want to say it, I know that I can't./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"We aren't together anymore./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Not romantically./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"We're more than classmates./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"We're more than acquaintances./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"We're more than friends./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But we're only close friends, and will never become more than that./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino and Antonio./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I can't say it to his face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I would be mortified./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"And he would probably be confused, being the oblivious, wonderful bastard he is./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But I say it in my head, purely for my self-satisfaction. I'm a selfish person, right? This is the least I can do to help myself feel somewhat better./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I love you./span/em/strong/p 


	27. Chapter 27

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Hey, stop crying," he said, looking at me. "I already said sorry, and you accepted, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I'm so happy you don't hate me," I sobbed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He raised an eyebrow. "Why would I hate you…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Uhnnn…"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Antonio patted my shoulder, smiling a little. "Hey, I'll help you with the homework, if you want…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""You think this is about the fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"homework/em?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Lovino…" He stepped back./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I sighed. "I'm not mad. You're just…I don't know…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Oblivious,"/span/strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" we both said in unison./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…" I stared at him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…" He wiped away my tears, a look of concern on his face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"A laugh escaped my lips, and I looked down at my textbook. "Okay, how do I factor this, hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Ah, sure…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Antonio sighed. "I know that this seems like a very boyfriend-ish thing to say, but…you need to take care of yourself."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I snorted. "I've heard about your grades. And your friends."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Uh, well…" He shrugged. "Studies first…em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"before /emfriends?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Then why are your grades dropping?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Because I kept thinking about if what I said was too much," he admitted. "Is that good enough?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I smiled. "I just wanted the truth."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Uhm…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""And I got it. Thanks."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Antonio nodded. "Hm…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Wanting to break the constant awkward silences, I opened the bedside drawer, looking for something to talk about./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"And my eyes laid on the photos./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The photos of when Antonio and I were still dating./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"No./span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" I can't think about this…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I put my hand over my mouth, allowing the tears to fall, as I silently cried./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Antonio grasped my hand with his, making me jolt. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Are you okay? What's wrong?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I shook my head. "Nothing's wrong. I just—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Lovino, I may be oblivious, but—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Could you not call me Lovino—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Hey, let me speak—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"It was awkward…and awful./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Our sentences kept overlapping each other's whenever we tried to speak./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"We were also being careful of what we were about to say – too careful./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The formalness of our conversations was making me sick./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I had the pictures hidden in my hand – behind my back./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"And so naturally, that's where he headed for./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He held up my hand with the photos, glancing at them./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Embarrassed, I looked away./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"It was dead silent./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"hate /strongthis./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I'm so fucking grateful that he's finally talking to me again, but I hate all of this – this awkwardness, constant silences, I…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I looked up, worried. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"And then I tried not to gape at what I saw next./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Antonio was crying./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He held onto my hand with the photos, shaking./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I…" he tried to say, looking at the photos, "I…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I shook my head. "If you miss those times so much, we don't have to get back together if you don't want to, but we can do things like that again. You know – going out together and all…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Antonio broke down. "I don't know what to do…I don't know if we should try to go at it again or not, Lovino…I…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"And I could understand exactly how he was feeling./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I held both of his hands, and looked up at him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Let's go out tomorrow."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"POV (Antonio)/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Let's go out tomorrow."/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The eagerness in Lovino's voice was clearly there./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I'm such a em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"horrible/em person./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Breaking up with someone is a choice./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"And, well – I had my reasons./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"And he feels bad, because he knows exactly what those reasons are./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But I avoided him, without realising that he wanted to talk./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I ignored him, not even considering the fact that he was at his breaking point./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"And so when he started crying like that, I couldn't stand it anymore./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"And that scream./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"God,/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" that scream./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I retraced back to the memory the other day – Lovino sitting on the bed, a terrified, helpless expression on his face, tears streaming down his red cheeks./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"And he had screamed, right after I slammed the door./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"A scream different from his other ones – different from when he's in trouble, or when he hits his orgasm while having sex./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"And it's painful to hear./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"So painful./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"My hand held onto Lovino's, which was holding photos from when we were still together./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He had been crying./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"And I don't blame him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Because I'm crying, too./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino smiled at me, though he didn't bother hiding the feelings all cooped up beneath his smile. Tears rolled down his cheeks, as he waited patiently for my answer./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I sighed, wiping away my tears. "Okay."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Go where, though?" I asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino shrugged. "Anywhere, I guess."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""So em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"enthusiastic,"/em I joked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He didn't reply./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino without his sarcastic remarks, constant eye-rolling and sassy attitude…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"It's as if he's broken./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"And I feel guilty knowing that 90% of the problem is me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I looked at him, putting my hands on his shoulders. "You don't have to be careful of your words like that, you know. I'm not made of glass. I won't break from one little insult."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Bastard," he mumbled. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""That's more like it!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino shrugged. "Whatever."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Ah…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I was actually hoping to lift up the current dead mood, but…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He's right./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Whatever, indeed!/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Things got too awkward, so Lovino slept on the ground for the night./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I felt bad sleeping on his bed while he was on the ground, but he insisted./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He had said that it was one of his ways of apologising for the other day./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I accepted his apology, but I still felt a heavy weight in my heart./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino jerked around in his sleep, and I even heard him crying at one point./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I got out of bed, and put my hand on his shoulder, worried. He didn't wake up – and continued to say things. I laid beside him, and did the last thing I wanted to do at this moment./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Since Lovino and I aren't in an intimate relationship anymore, it would be kind of awkward, hugging him while he's asleep./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But I know that it's the only thing that'll stop his frequent nightmares about the Underworld./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino tensed at my touch, and let out a little snore, his hands clutching my shirt./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Darling…" he mumbled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I twitched. Did I hear that right?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I woke up before him, so I immediately went off to change./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Today isn't going to be like a date or anything – just a casual outing at the mall./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Yet I feel like I want to wear something decent for once./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino had always commented on my fashion sense – that I'm not trendy at all. And, well…he's right./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I looked around for any clothes that would work for today, and once I was happy, I sat on the bed, scrolling through my phone, waiting for my friend to wake up./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Friend./span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"That still sounds so weird to me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""M-Morning…" Lovino said, looking around. His eyes fixated on me, and he flopped down on the ground again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Lovino?!"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"A muffled sob arose from the floor./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I sighed. "You know, you really need to stop crying so much…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Crying is good for you," he retorted. "Leave me alo—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino immediately stood up, and walked over to his wardrobe. "Oh. Date—I mean, outing. Yep. Be right back."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Considering his mood at the moment, he would've probably reverted back to his old style – trendy, yet somewhat moody clothes./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"In other words – boring./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"You know – black, grey, brown…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Oh, and pants. Lots of pants. No shorts, no matter what./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"So it shocked me when he came out of the bathroom./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino had pinned his bangs to the side. He was wearing a flowy red gingham dress, with a white chiffon shirt peeking underneath. He was also wearing red Mary Jane shoes, and frilly white socks./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"His slim frame and small waist allowed the look to suit him – and his embarrassed, flustered expression made him even cuter./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I put my hand over my mouth. "Lovino…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He shrugged. "Do I look like a chick? I'm kinda embarrassed if I do, but at the same time, I don't want people gawking about a guy wearing a dress…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino turned bright red. "Oh, and I'm not trying to crossdress, by the way. I've had this dress lying around for a while – it was from Liz, and I haven't used it yet, and, uhm…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I smiled. "It's alright. You look nice."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"His cheeks turned a slight shade of pink. "So, uhm…are we going?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Yep."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I glanced at him. "This might seem like a very boyfriend-ish thing to say, but—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Stop right there," he snapped. His expression softened. "Could you not start your sentences like that? It kind of, uhm…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino shifted around. "….hurts….."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Oh./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I nodded. "Right, sorry. I was going to ask – are you wearing makeup?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He blushed. "Um. Maybe?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Ah, I can see, you know. It's very light, but I can tell. You know you don't need it, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"His lips had a hint of gloss, and he had put small shades of blush on his cheeks. "W-W-Well…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I smiled, pointing at the areas where he had applied blush. "I thought makeup was supposed to make you lookem style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;" less/em like a tomato."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino turned bright red at my comment. "Y-You!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Ah, well. Honest people are good people, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He muttered a string of curses and looked away, obviously embarrassed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I thought this was a fucking mall outing," he said, grinning. "You taking me to a restaurant? Tch."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Hey, be nice," I chided. "Alfred said that this one was a good one."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""It's American. You sure you want to eat here?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I rolled my eyes. "Really, Lovino…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He giggled. "Whatever. I'm just glad that you accepted my request. We aren't in a romantic relationship anymore, but I'm happy."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"As he said that last sentence, I could sense the pain he had – knowing that it was only the truth./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Don't be sad anymore, okay?" I said. "I—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Uhm. May I take your order?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I flinched at the voice, and turned my eyes, to see Clarisse standing before me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Y-You work here?" I asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"She ignored my question, and smiled at Lovino. "I—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino shrugged. "We're fine now. Don't worry."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Though I knew that he was still upset./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Clarisse nodded. "Uhm, okay, uhmmmm…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"One of Clarisse's colleagues saw the awkwardness that was going on, and she walked over to us. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Her curly red hair made her easily distinguishable in the crowd of other workers, and she grinned./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Hey," she said. "Is everything alright here? Oh – you must be Clarisse's cousin, Antonio. I'm Lea."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I raised my eyebrows. "Oh, hi."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Clarisse grimaced. "Yeah, uhm…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""And you're his girlfriend?" Lea asked, looking over to Lovino./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino blushed, fiddling with the menu. "…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I smiled. "He's my friend."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He buried his face into his arms, groaning in embarrassment./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lea chuckled. "Don't worry, I'm not judging. The dress suits you well. I'm assuming you know Elizaveta Hedervary?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino nodded. "Yeah, she gave the dress to me…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Wonderful," Lea said, smiling. "Okay, what would you like to order?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Clarisse snorted, walking away. She turned back to look at us, somewhat worried – but a smile was creeping onto her face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Aaaaaaaaghhhhhhhhhhh,"/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" Lovino groaned. "She thought I was a em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"girl."/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Well, I can't really blame her…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino sighed. "Do I look okay, though? I'm kinda worried…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I smiled. "You look cu—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Thinking for a moment, I stopped my words./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I forgot something back at the restaurant," I mumbled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Worry spread across his face. "What?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""The goddamn em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"car keys/em," I said. "I'll be back. Wait here, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"We were at a corner in the streets, and part of me worried about what could possibly happen to Lovino./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He nodded. "Be quick."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"POV (Lovino)/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I stood at the wall, glancing over the scribbles of graffiti on it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"A horrible thought entered my mind. Did druggies hang out here?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Memories of when I was fifteen flooded my brain, and I shook them off, trying to forget my past./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I clutched onto the fabric of my dress./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Hurry up, Antonio, I thought. It's already been six minutes./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"A group of guys about my age – but taller – one of them a thug, were walking towards me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I recognised them./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"They were the guys I used to hang out with when I was still a junior in high school./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The messed up bastards./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The tall skinny guy at the right raised his eyebrows, glancing at his friends. "Found a cute one, lads."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Oh man," a shorter guy mumbled. I cringed at his overgrown, uneven stubble – it was even worse than Francis's./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"No. Get away./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Get the fuck away from me./span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I shifted away, looking around for any sign of Antonio./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Please, I thought. Please come back. I'm scared./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The guy in the middle grinned at me. "Hey. You alone?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…" I looked away./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Hey, she's shaking," the tall guy laughed. "Do you have a boyfriend?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""No," I mumbled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The short dude exchanged glances with the thug – the leader of their group. "Her voice is, uhm…low."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Nobody cares about your kinks or preferences," the thug snapped. "Hey, girl – where're you from? You alone? Come with us – you look lonely."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Tears pricked the corners of my eyes. No. This can't be happening./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"But if I run away, and Antonio comes back…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Oh,em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;" God./em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I stood there, terrified./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The thug grabbed my arms, a glint in his eye. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Stop!" I screamed. "The fuck are you bastards trying to pull, dammit?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Startled, they all stepped back./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""A-Are you a…" the skinny guy stammered, looking at me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The shorter dude lifted up my dress. As I struggled to break free, the thug's grip tightened, and I yelped in pain./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Oh, man," the short guy said. "He's a guy. A fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"transvestite."/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Get the fuck away," I said, tears running down my face. "Get away."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Wait a second," the thug said, poking my curl. "I'd know that curl anywhere."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""DON'T FUCKING TOUCH THAT!"/span/em/strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" I screamed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Lovino?" the skinny guy asked, gaping at me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"That was it. I was crying./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Dude, this is why you shouldn't have left our group," the short guy mumbled. "You're gay now."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Does that even matter?" the thug laughed. "Get those panties off, lads."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I screamed, as my dress was lifted up once again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Antonio./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Where the fuck are you?!/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I found the keys—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I stopped in my tracks./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Three guys were harassing Lovino./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Only a few metres away from me, too./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino screamed, kicking at them – and this big, scary dude even bigger than Ludwig was holding him back./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"A short guy held onto the thin waistband of Lovino's underwear./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"No./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Don't fucking mess with him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"We may not be dating anymore, but he's still mine./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Get away from him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Get the fuck away from him./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I ran forward, throwing a punch at the short guy, making him topple to the ground./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Wow, this guy is weak for a druggie./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"A tall, skinny dude glared at me. "Who the fuck do you think you a—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Get away from him," I said, grabbing his wrists, twisting them with all my strength. "Stop this right now."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The skinny dude screamed in pain, as I twisted his wrists./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I'm going to give you to the count of three," I calmly said. "Release him, or I'll do more."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""You're too weak," the thug spat. "Skinny, scrawny – what makes you think that this'll go down without a fight?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I pulled the skinny guy's arms over his shoulders, making him scream even more. Lovino watched in horror and amusement, as I twisted his captor's limbs./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The look on my face must've been pretty crazy back there./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The skinny guy also dropped to the ground, writhing in pain./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Okay. Now for the big dude./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Someone's been eating too much McDonald's," I mumbled, looking at him up and down. "You ever thought of dieting?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The guy dropped Lovino, and picked me up. "Are you fucking serious?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Run!"/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" I yelled back. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino shook his head. "I'm not fucking leaving you, dumbass!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The short guy sat up, attempting to regain his strength. Lovino raised his eyebrows, and ran away./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I yanked the guy's hair, thinking of what else to do./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Yikes. He's way bigger than me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Ay…/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""That boyfriend of yours isn't done yet," he snarled. "We'll fucking hunt him down."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I remembered the knife Alfred had stolen from Natalya./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He had given it to me, and I had always kept it close by ever since, in case I would ever need it again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I stabbed the knife into the thug's stomach. He stopped for a moment, looking down in horror./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""What did you just…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Nobody messes with Lovino," I said, thrusting the knife in and out. "Whether we're dating or not, it doesn't matter. He's mine. He's em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"mine/em – strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"not /strongyours. strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"Get the fucking hell out of his life, and mine."/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He fell to the ground, as I pulled the knife out of his stomach. I glanced down at the blade, which was now stained with thick crimson ichor./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""W-What're you, a fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"delinquent?!"/em the skinny guy managed to say in horror, still lying on the ground./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""No, but I did almost get suspended for sticking a thumbtack on the teacher's chair in third grade," I said calmly./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The guys inched away, still limping on the ground./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Oh, that's right!/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino!/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I ran towards my friend, who was in another corner./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He was crying again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I'm so sorry I left you here for so long," I said, holding him close. "I'll never do that again. I swear my fucking life on it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino sobbed, hugging me tightly. "I…I don't care if you will never say the same words to me ever again, but listen to me for a moment, dammit…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I'm listening," I said, looking at his teary hazel eyes./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I love you," he stuttered. "I…I love you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"And then I started crying./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Because I had been so stubborn./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Ignoring him and his feelings./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Pretending like he and his feelings didn't matter to me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I wiped away my tears. "We…we'll talk about this when we get back home, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino nodded, his breaths still at an unsteady rhythm./span/p 


	28. Chapter 28

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino sat on the bed, not wanting to let go of my hand, understandably./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Who were those guys?" I gently asked. "It seemed like you knew them."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""The ones I hung out with when I was fifteen," he said, wiping away his tears. "I…I'm so fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"sorry/em, Antonio."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Why didn't you run?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Because I didn't want to scare you. I didn't want you to come back and not see me here." He had burst into tears again. "Like when I attempted suicide."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Oh, Lovino…" I hugged him again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I'm so sorry about that, too," he said. "When I tried to kill myself."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Why are you apologising for that?" I asked. "It wasn't your fault. You've had a lot going on in your life. It's all too much for a sixteen-year-old."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Because it's strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"selfish!"/em/strong he yelled. "It's so fucking selfish – trying to kill yourself, just so that you'd be able to get away from all your problems – and then you don't even consider how those who care about you would feel…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I shook my head. "Suicide isn't selfish, Lovino. You attempted it for a reason, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino stopped crying for a moment. "…I wanted to make everyone's lives easier, because all I do is ruin everything, dammit…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Exactly," I said. "But you're wrong. I can't imagine a world without you, Lovino. It was already dull enough those past few days ago – not hearing your laugh, not seeing your smile – not even hearing your sarcastic remarks. It was boring. I feel like nobody would get over it if Alfred and I hadn't come in time."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino squeezed my hand. "Clarisse talked to me yesterday."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""She did?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""She was crying," he sighed. "A lot. I had to hug her."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I smiled. "You really are kind. Is she okay now?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""She's mad at you. Really mad, dammit. I tried to explain to her that it was partly my fault, too – but she wouldn't listen."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Ah, well – she did look kind of shocked when she saw us together at the restaurant. It must've looked like a date to her."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino leaned in. "But…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"The hurt in his eyes was definitely there. "But it felt like a date, Antonio."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I nodded. "It did."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""So it was a date, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He sighed. "I'm not trying to force you back into a relationship. It must've been hard for you – knowing that your boyfriend was a demon from the Underworld."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I shook my head. "Lovino, I wasn't upset about that."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I loved you for who you were."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""…" He was shaking again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""And I still do."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino let out a squeal, and jumped into my arms, allowing the two of us to fall onto the bed. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He cried./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He laughed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"And he kissed me, all over./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" started crying, too./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I love you," he sobbed. "I'll never say anything horrible to you ever again – or use you like that. I fucking promise."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I ran my fingers through his hair – enjoying the familiar soft feeling that I hadn't felt in a while. "I love you, Lovi."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He shrieked in happiness, planting tiny kisses all over my neck, not daring to miss a single spot on my face, either./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I'm so fucking happy," he said. "I…I don't know what to say…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I smiled. "That I'm stupid?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Oh, yeah. Good one."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""And that I'm dense and oblivious?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Yep."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Good job~"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovi shook his head, laughing. "You missed one."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He pressed his lips to mine, and I raised my eyebrows in shock, before he pulled away./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Ti amo,"/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" he finally managed to say, through his happy tears./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I hugged him. "em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Te amo,/em you silly boy."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He kissed me again, and remembering that it was seen as proper etiquette to close your eyes at such a time, I did so, holding him close like there was no tomorrow./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino's tongue touched mine, and an overwhelming happiness flowed through my body, lifting the heavy weight off of my chest. His hands gripped onto my shirt tightly./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"My boyfriend pulled away, smiling./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Hey, Antonio…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I smiled. "Hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Remember our first time?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"A laugh escaped my lips. "How could I ever forget? That was so awkward, Lovi."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Chungus,"/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" he joked. I giggled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I sat up, grinning. "What about it?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"His eyes shifted around. "This may seem pretty fucking cliché and all, but…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovi laid down on the bed, facing me. He lifted one of his legs. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"A bulge peeked through his light pink laced panties – which had apparently come with the dress. I could feel my face getting hot./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"A smirk crossed Lovi's face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Ready for round two?"/span/p 


	29. Chapter 29

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Morning came, and it was Sunday./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovino opened his eyes, smiling at me. "Last night was good."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Really…?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He nodded. "You didn't say 'em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Chungus'./em Good job."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I snorted. "You'll never forget that, hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""It will haunt you em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"forever,/em Antonio."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"We both laughed, and he looked down at his dress – which had been folded neatly on his desk./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""I can't believe you stopped me from giving you hickeys just so that you could fold your dress," I said./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovi rolled his eyes. "That dress was em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"6000 yen./em That's at around 60 fucking American dollars, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I raised my eyebrows. "Wow. Pricey."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He grinned. "What about you? What did you think of last night?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""You were less tight than last time." I raised an eyebrow. "I expected you to be tighter. Please tell me you didn't find someone during the time after our breakup."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He glared at me. "Why the fuck would I do such a thing?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovi's cheeks turned pink. "Also, I, uhm…kinda play with myself down there…sometimes with things other than just my fingers, so…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I nodded. "Understandable~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""You always sound so fucking calm," he laughed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""It's better than Feli, who's optimistic as hell," I snorted. "Can you imagine – me cheering you on right after the breakup?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"My boyfriend giggled. "Gross."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Veee!"/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" I squeaked, imitating his little brother. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;""You can do it, Lovi! You can get through this! Woo, woo!"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""KYWAHAHAHAHAHA!"/span/em/strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" Lovino giggled, falling back down onto the bed. "STOP MAKING ME LAUGH LIKE THAT, DAMMIT!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Your laugh is so fucking cute," I said, kissing his soft pink lips again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovi's lips curled into a smirk. "It's still weird hearing you curse more often. Have I influenced you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""It's spreading!" I squealed. "It's contagious – it's the em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Lovinopocalypse!"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"He broke down in laughter. "Seriously, if my vocal cords suddenly smash to pieces one day, I'm going to blame it on you. You make me laugh way too much, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I grinned. "Off topic, but your moans are really cute."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Lovi raised his eyebrows. "The fuck?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""They're cuteeeeeeeeee!" I said, hugging him. "Just like everything else about you!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""CHIGIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;" he screamed. "BE CAREFUL WITH THE CURL, DAMMIT!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;""Oops, sorry~"br /-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"After we had gotten dressed for the day, we decided that we wouldn't be doing much today./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"I mean…it's Sunday./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"Nobody does anything on Sunday./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi looked back at me. "You do know what was the real reason that I wore that hell of a dress, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hell of a dress?" I repeated, grinning. "I thought it was cute, actually."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""W-Whatever. I bought it myself, from that shop where Liz and I bought clothes."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He bought it himself?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Sweet./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi blushed. "I didn't realise that things would come to this, but I knew that you had a weird dress kink or something, but…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Dress kink?" I laughed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Don't lie to me – I know you have one, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Aww. So cute./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My boyfriend grinned. "Your birthday is coming up soon, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "Sorry I didn't take you anywhere out of the house on yours."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He shook his head. "I loved my birthday last year, dammit. It was amazing."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What, are you planning something for me?" I joked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Maybe." Lovi glanced over at the dress, which was still folded neatly on his desk. "Maybe I'll put on a strip show for you after we hang out. I don't know, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I tried to hold back a laugh. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm not joking." He grinned. "I think I've become a thot for you, Antonio."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh my God," I laughed. "Who're you, Belle Delphine?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi snorted. "I can't do the fucking 'ahegao' face. I don't know how she does it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "You say that, yet you make the most priceless facial expressions whenever we have sex."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Please. We've only had sex twice, Antonio. And oh my god—do I really look that weird when we're doing it?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""No, I actually find it cute. You never really make any crazy faces like that 'Belle Delphine' girl from TikTok, but you still make adorable ones~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He grimaced. "Eww. Let's change the topic."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I took a quick glance at his neck. There were hickeys – some healed, from last year, some dark from a few weeks ago, when we would exchange passionate kisses after school in the dorms, and two new ones from last night./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""How hard is it for you to hide those?" I laughed. "Doesn't anyone see them at school?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi chuckled. "Clarisse saw them at one point, and she wouldn't stop blushing. But I don't think anyone else has seen them. I try to hide them with my shirt collar."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nobody knows about them, then? Good." I wrapped my arms around him, feeling him tense a little. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I love you," I whispered./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He grinned. "I love you, too."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Kiku invited us over for karaoke," I said. "You wanna go?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi nodded. "Yeah…but I can't really sing, so…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What do you mean, 'you can't sing'? Rubbish. I've heard you sing before, and it's beautiful."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"His cheeks turned pink. "Um…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "Ah, well…I was hoping to sing a duet with you, you know…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi held onto my hands. "Hell, yeah!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ahhh, so cute!/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Kiku smiled. "Welcome, everyone—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""There's no need to be so formal!" Feliciano said, frowning at his friend. "I already told you, we're all FRIENDS!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The Japanese man winced. "But it is proper Japanese etiquette to—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Just let the poor man speak!" Ludwig sighed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Kiku cleared his throat again, while Feli pouted in the corner./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm glad everyone could come today for the karaoke party. As you may know, it is the first term of the school year. Some of us are still freshmen in high school."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Feli and Clarisse high-fived each other, laughing./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And some of us will be graduating once the year ends."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino hugged me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And so, to start the year off in a positive way, I've decided to hold a karaoke party here, at my place. Please enjoy. Thank you." Kiku bowed, smiling./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Gilbert screeched, fighting with Francis over who should go for the first song. I chuckled, facing my boyfriend./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""So, you gonna sing?" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He shrugged. "I'll just check the song list for a bit…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Tyler grinned. "I've never heard you sing before. It'd be interesting."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi smiled. "Is that so? Tch."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Also, I'm happy for you," Tyler said. "You guys are together again~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Still a bit rocky, but we're getting there," I laughed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse smiled, and walked over to me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh, dear./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi raised his brows, trying not to laugh. "Good luck," he mouthed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You bastard," she said, slapping my cheek./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My boyfriend winced./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I can't believe you. Breaking up with someone like him – you don't find many guys like him who aren't straight, you know!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sighed. "Ah, well, the thing is…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""No need to explain," Clarisse said. "I've heard enough. Except…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Except?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I love you for getting back together with him. Don't make the same stupid mistake again, or I'll never forgive you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi and I exchanged smiles (of relief). Classic Clarisse./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Anyway, I'm gonna sing," she said, pushing through Francis and Gilbert, who were both hogging the song list and microphones. "Get outta my way, it's FILIPINA BITCH TIME."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""She makes me laugh," Lovi said, grinning. "Crazy bitch. I like girls like her."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I chuckled. "She is interesting, isn't she?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""OH PAG-IBIG, FOOORTUUUUUNE COOKIIIIIEEEEEEEE"/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Grimacing, I turn my eyes towards Clarisse. My earrrrrrrssssssss./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Not that she's a bad singer, though./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""She's good at singing, though, isn't she?" Lovi said./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well, she is from the Philippines," I laughed. "They're crazy about karaoke back there."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Tyler grinned. "Lovino, let's sing together!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ehh…why me, dammit?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Because I've never heard you sing, and if we don't go up, then Alex will go up to sing some trashy K-Pop again!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hmm…" Alex mumbled through a mouthful of ice cream./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi shrugged. "Oh, well. One song can't hurt."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""High Hopes/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" by em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Panic! At The Disco?"/em Tyler suggested./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Deal," Lovi said, smirking./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. This was going to be interesting./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Once the song had ended, Lovi stuck up his middle fingers, grinning. I had never seen him so happy in front of anyone other than me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovino."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi looked back./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Can we sing something together?" Alex asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My boyfriend nodded. "Sure. You want em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"BLACKPINK? BTS? TWICE? GFRIEND? IU?"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Tyler let out an exhausted sigh./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I was thinking of some em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"IU,"/em Alex said. "You still in a mood?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""…No. We're together again."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, man!" Alex exclaimed. "It's been a month, hasn't it?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi nodded. "What about some em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"BLACKPINK?"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You a em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"BLINK?"/em Alfred asked. "Man, there are so many of those fangirls back in my country. Christ."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The song ended, and Lovi was trying (but failing) not to laugh. He had copied the original choreography perfectly, with a little bit of his own style. In other words, he danced like a spaz./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alex, on the other hand, was getting into it a little too much. It still however, made Lovi laugh. It made me happy seeing him getting along with the others, while still keeping his sarcastic and somewhat sassy personality./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "You wore another dress?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Psh./em I'm allowed to. Everyone looks like a freak show, anyway."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He wasn't wrong./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"While Lovi was wearing an elaborate and seductive short black dress, covered with sparkles, I had dressed up as a pirate./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I feel like it must've turned him on, because he kept on staring at me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alfred and Arthur had dressed up as Shrek and Fiona./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"(And yes, Arthur was Fiona.)/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Tyler was dressed as a teddy bear, to cheer Lovi up. Instead, it sent him into laughter. Which was good enough./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alex, much to Tyler's dismay, was dressed up as a K-Pop idol, with fake piercings and all./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse was dressed as a 'Waifu Personification of Jollibee' or whatever that's supposed to be, so I think I'll just stop there./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I don't know why we all decided to come in costumes – maybe to celebrate the beginning of the school year in a fun way, but it certainly amused Kiku, and so he went back home to change into a frilly maid dress./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"POV (Lovino)/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alfred stared at me. "Hey, can I ask you a question?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Antonio and I are together again. Yes?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Uhm, I was gonna ask if you were gonna eat that last slice of pizza…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "What is it?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Those marks on your neck…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh, shit./span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Please/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" be oblivious. Please be dumb and not ask, Alfred. Please think that it's something else./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He looked around, making sure that everyone was busy, and leaned in to whisper. "Dude, this is gonna sound weird, and I don't wanna offend you, but…are you even still a virgin?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ah, shit!/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But it's okay./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He's Alfred, after all./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I shook my head, smiling a little./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He raised his eyebrows, and set his glasses on the table, pulling on his Shrek hoodie. "Woah, seriously? When?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""About a month ago," I said, blushing./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""D-Do you mind me asking something else?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nope. Ask away, bastard."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alfred's eyes shifted around. "How was it? Your first time with him?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It kinda hurt at first."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Kinda?" He looked a bit worried./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""No – it hurt a lot at first. I was practically tugging at the sheets. But he waited for me to settle down, and then when he started moving, it felt good."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alfred nodded. "Oh, that's good. So you've already had sex with Toni?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Y-Yeah. Once he hit that spot, I was fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"screaming."/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That spot…" He pursed his lips together in thought, then looked at me again. "Your prostate?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""God, I can't even say it," I laughed. "It's so fucking embarrassing. I don't know why."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He nodded. "Understandable, really. Wait – you're only sixteen, aren't you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'll be seventeen next month."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Alfred shrugged. "Don't worry, bro – I'm not judging you. I mean, you're a freaking incubus, right? It's fine."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled. "You're a good friend. Thanks."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse sat beside me, grinning. "You're wearing a dress."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Okay, you gonna make fun of me?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""No," she said. "It's pretty. Sparkly."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I looked her up and down. "You look pretty cute yourself. What're you supposed to be?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""The Waifu Personification of Jollibee!"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Sure enough, there were fake bee wings stuck to the back of her costume – which was a red dress, and red and white stockings. To top it off, she was wearing yellow shoes, a little chef hat and bee antlers./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I cringed. "Nice."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And…Kuya Toni is a pirate?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sighed dreamily. "Yeah. Doesn't he look fucking hot, dammit?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"She snorted. "Are you serious?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hmmm~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""By the way…" She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Are you still a virgin?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…Are you fucking kidding me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""No," I muttered without hesitation./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"She raised her eyebrows. "Did your first time go well? How many times have you done it?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Uhm…" I thought for a bit. "Our first time was amazing. And awkward."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse grimaced. "Did he say anything stupid?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Chungus."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""…What?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. "I know, right? Oh, and we've only done it twice. Our first time was a month ago, and the other time was just last night."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Her face turned bright red. "What happened last night?"br /I grinned. "It had something to do with a date. And an unfortunate incident. Maybe a few near-deaths for a few drug dealers, caused by Antonio…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"She looked at me, horrified. "The fuck did he do this time?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, it wasn't him. He just saved me. I almost got raped in a corner in the street."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh my God, are you okay?!"/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "I'm fine. Oh, and I was wearing a dress at the time, so it kind of provoked them to do it. And then we got home, cried, hugged, kissed, and had sex."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A smirk crossed her face. "Were you the one who asked him to have sex with you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse grinned. "Well! I broke up with my boyfriend the other day, actually. He was being a dick."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh?" I stared at her. This always happens whenever she has a boyfriend. They never treat her right, dammit. It's starting to piss me off. She's an annoying bitch, but she's also cute and can be sweet, too. She has rights, dammit./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, and I also went to a classmate's funeral." Her voice went low, and she looked at the ground. "I didn't really know her that well, but I cried a lot. She was only my age – fourteen – and she had committed suicide by hanging."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A memory resurfaced, and I felt tears in my eyes./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse gave me a weak smile. "I'm glad my cousin and that annoying fatty American saved you, you know. I'd have cried even more if you had died."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I bitterly nodded, biting my lip – thinking of something else to talk about./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""SMILE! SWEET! SISTER! SADISTIC! SURPRISE! SERVICE! WE ARE em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"STILEEEEEEEEE!"/em/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""DEAD MEME!"/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" Alfred screeched./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Kiku was singing the opening theme to some anime about a café with cute girls. Not that I cared, but he was obviously getting a little tipsy./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It was funny, though./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I don't think I'll ever forget this night./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"To be honest, my entire three years of senior high school are probably going to haunt me for the rest of my life./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"In a good way, dammit./span/p 


	30. Chapter 30

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"POV (Antonio)/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi grinned. "Morning, bastard."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. "It's Monday~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Stop sounding so happy about that. It's Monday, and I'm sad. I wanna spend more time with you, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's okay," I said, lifting his bangs to kiss his forehead. "I'll still see you in class, remember?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Fuck science and geography," Lovi spat./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sighed. I was about to remind him about whinging like that, but I feel him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Then again, I'm in my third year now, and I'll be graduating at the end of the year./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And this is a spider from Australia," Ms. Arra continued. "I don't really like spiders much."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""FUCK SPIDERS,"/span/strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" Lovi groaned into his arms, slumping down on his desk./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Spiders are good!" Spider-chan screamed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I glanced towards Lovi. "Five more minutes, darling," I whispered. "Class will be over soon."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Spider…" Lovi said, twitching./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yes, I know you don't like spiders, but we have to learn about them for our test—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""SPIDER!"/span/em/strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" he shrieked, jumping up onto his desk. Clarisse screamed, hitting my head with a textbook./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""SPIDER!" Tyler yelled, attempting to hit the spider with a baseball bat./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Huh?" I asked, looking around. "Where…?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ms. Ren and Mr. Chris opened the door. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We have a message for Class A of the eleventh grade and Class B of the twelvth grade…" Ms. Ren sighed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""SPIDER!"/span/em/strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" Lovi kept on screaming, running all over the classroom./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The room was in chaos – students were throwing pencils and textbooks at me, others, like Lovino, were screaming and running everywhere./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I suddenly felt a crawling on my arm, and I looked down./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Mr. Chris dropped his clipboard. strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;""DESGUSTANG!"/em/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ms. Ren broke into a mass of screaming. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;""SPIDER SPIDER SPIDER SPIDER SPIDERRRRRRRR!"/em She lunged forward, attempting to hit the spider on my arm with her book./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Spider-chan looked at us, horrified. "Stop it! Stop hurting him – he might be ready to mate!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""MATE?! FUCK THAT – OUR LIVES ARE AT STAKE HERE, DAMMIT!" Lovi screeched. strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;""CHIGIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"/em/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah…" I glanced down at myself. The spider was about the size of my palm – and it was crawling up on my chest./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Not that I really minded – I didn't even realise it was there./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Still, though…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""GET IT AWAY FROM ME!" Arthur shrieked, hugging Lovi and Alfred for protection./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""GIVE HIM TO MEEEEEEE!" Spider-chan yelled. "I'LL KEEP HIM!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A loud crash was heard./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The spider had crawled over to my desk, and Tyler had smashed it with his textbook./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Uh, Ms. Arra, we'll be going off to the dorms for a bit," Lovi quickly said, grabbing my arm./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ms. Arra nodded, as we walked off./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""BATH. BATH. NOW,"/span/strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" Lovi muttered under his breath, dragging me over to the dorms./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"After I got out of the shower, I glanced at Lovino, who was glaring at me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Dumbass. Did you not see the fuckingstrong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;" SPIDER /strongon your head?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, well…was it really necessary to take a shower because a spider crawled all over me?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He snorted. "It was disgusting. You were HOLDING it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "Give me a sec, okay? I'll just change into my uniform again~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""NO. Wear this one. Your old one needs to be washed. The spider contaminated it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, Lovi!" I laughed, pinching his cheeks. "You're so EXTRA!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""CHIGIIII!"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Dammit. When will school end?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I shrugged. "Soon, darling. Half an hour left."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi hugged me. "I'm so tired…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Me too," I sighed. "The hardships of being in high school, hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He rolled his eyes. "I'd say that I wish I were still five years old, but now that I think about it…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "Understandable."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"As soon as school was over, Lovi did what he usually did – lie down./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're so lazy," I laughed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm tireeeeeeeeeeedddddddd!" He sat up. "Oh, but we can do anything, if you want. I don't mind."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "What do you want to do, then?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe we could hang out at the shops or something?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Cool, I'll invite Clarisse, then~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And for once, I didn't see him cringe at the sound of her name./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse grinned. "Hey~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"And that was when Lovi cringed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Clarisse, what did I tell you about wearing age-appropriate clothing?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. "Are you her dad now?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yes, you may now call me 'Papa Lovi', thank you very much."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse glared at him. "Literally everyone my age wears clothes like this, you dummy. You're so old fashioned!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ahhh…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"So much for peace./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah." Lovino looked towards me. "Sorry."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah…" Clarisse shifed her eyes around awkwardly. "Sorry po."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "Good. So, what're we gonna d—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""HEYO."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We turned our eyes to see Liz behind us./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Have you guys forgotten me?" she laughed. "You silly kids!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Who the fuck are you calling, em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"kids?!" /emLovi screeched, his face turning red./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""We're the same goddamn age!" Clarisse pouted./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. "But you two are the little ones! You're both younger than us~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah, by a fucking year," my boyfriend grumbled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We all looked at Clarisse, who was two years younger than Liz and I./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hmph. I'll grow with time," she sighed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I brought friends," Clarisse mumbled. "They're from my grade. Guys, meet Chiyo, Sylvester, Esfir, and Lea. They're my crew from now on. Oh, and Tyler and Alex are here, too."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hey!" I said, grinning. "Nice to meet you guys! Even though I already know Tyler, Alex and Lea, ahaha~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hmph," Lovi mumbled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Chiyo grinned. "Hey."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hey, smile, won't you?" I said, glancing at my boyfriend, whose arms were still crossed, as he looked at the ground in annoyance./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I thought it would only be the three of us," he complained. "Fucking hell! Who are those guys, anyway?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Clarisse's friends. Who else, darling?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well, fuck them!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I looked down at him, my eyes stern. strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;""Behave."/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I…" Lovi blushed, and looked away./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…Is it just me, or does he like it when I'm stern with him?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Come to think of it, though he protested, he looked pretty amused – maybe even aroused, when I was attempting to dominate him in a kinky way during our first time./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I leaned in./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""If you can tolerate Clarisse's friends being around with us for a bit, I promise I'll spend some time with you alone later," I whispered./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi raised his eyebrows. "Like a date or something?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""At home – but we can do things other than watching movies and ranting about obnoxious classmates. Certain things we can't do in the dorms."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The blush on his face darkened. "O-Oh."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I tapped my fingers on my chin. "Or do you want something else?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""N-No! This is fine!" He nodded, barely able to contain his smile of excitement./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Amused, I nodded in approval. "Good."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"From time to time, my boyfriend would cling onto my arm. He's obviously excited for tonight./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"We stopped over at the bathroom for a bit – and Lovino started making out with me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smirked to myself, holding his hand while following Clarisse in a clothing shop. This is interesting./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It's funny, how obedient he is – knowing what the reward will be at the end./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I'm actually beginning to like this side of him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He looked up at me. "'Tonio…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh? Calling me by nicknames now, all of a sudden?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hnngh. Stop teasing me, dammit. How long until we get home?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hmm, I wonder." I looked down at my watch, enjoying this a little too much. "Well, Lovi, good things come to those who wait~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Aaaaaaarghhhhhh!"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Hm~/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What's going on?" Alex asked, looking back at us./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi shook his head. "N-Nothing."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Doesn't seem like nothing, by the looks of it," Sylvester replied, his sister also glancing back to look at us./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "Nothing, I'm just bribing hi—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Fucking hell. Are we going to go, or not?" my boyfriend interrupted./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ah, well. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He's not as oblivious as me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But that's okay!/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I blushed a little. "Lovi…what're we doing here?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My boyfriend had stopped us over at a shop full of suggestive costumes, dresses, and lingerie./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""N-Nothing. I'll just look around for a bit, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lately, he's been okay with wearing dresses and other feminine clothing./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It's actually pretty cute./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He came out of the changing room, wearing a short red dress./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I like this one, but I feel like I look like a fucking tomato," he complained./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I shook my head. "You look beautiful."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""U-Um…thanks…?" he mumbled, his face turning bright red./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ahaha!" I laughed. "Now you really look like a tomato./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Obviously embarrassed, he shut the door of the changing room. "D-Damn you!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A few minutes later, he was wearing a black dress with a slit on his leg area. Trying not to laugh, he struck a seductive pose and cast a flirtatious smile towards me. I giggled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Too much?" he asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I shrugged. "It's up to you. Personally, I feel like you look beautiful in anything."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Fuck you," Lovi replied, though his smile was genuine./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"After he had chosen his clothes, I glanced at him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You didn't show me the other things you bought. What was it?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi grinned. "If you give me my em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"well-fucking-deserved/em reward when we get home, maybe I'll show you, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Well, that's another thing to look forward to later, then~/span/p 


	31. Chapter 31

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, I'm tired," I sighed, as soon as we got back to Lovi's apartment. "That was a bit tiring, wasn't it?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm not tired yet."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "Hey, it's 9 PM already, darling. You should sleep."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He sat on the bed, crossing his arms. "Don't wanna, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're so stubborn."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I want the reward already, dammit. You promised me." Lovi glared at me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Then show me what you bought."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Noooooooooo!" /span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I tickled him and he giggled, trying to tug at my hair. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Daaaaaaaamnnnnnn youuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You'll have to show me first!"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The innocence of our playful bickering lingered in the room, though I knew that in the circumstances we were in now, it would eventually dissolve./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Okay, okay!" He got off the bed, and grabbed the bag, walking into the bathroom. "Sheesh."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi walked out after a moment, wearing a white dress./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It was shorter than the rest of his dresses, and as he shut the door behind him, I caught a glimpse of his pert little ass./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""There. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Now/em can we do it, dammit?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're so cute. Come over here, darling."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He blushed in excitement and jumped into my arms – suddenly transforming into his demon form – just like that./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh…" I looked at him. "You certainly em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"are/em excited, aren't you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Horny,"/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" he corrected me, already starting to move his hips against mine./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I caressed his sides, a smirk creeping onto my face. "White? Hmm…I hope this dress wasn't expensive, Lovi."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, it was only 2000 yen," he mumbled. "Honestly, I can find so many cheap shit here in Japan."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're so fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"sexy,"/em I whispered. "Are you doing this on purpose? Buying all of these clothes?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi grinned. "What the fuck do you think?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'll take that as a yes." My lips collided with his. He landed onto the bed, and another flash of white caught my eye, in between his legs./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""A-Are you wearing anything underneath?" I hesitantly asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I spread his legs apart, poking the laced undergarments. "What's this?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You'll have to find out, you bastard." A playful grin spread across his face, his eyes wide with anticipation./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Hah/em. Very funny. Turn around for me, will you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My fingers grasped the zipper on the back of his dress, gently pulling it down./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The dress fell off his shoulders, and I raised my eyebrows./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""W-Where did you…" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"My beautiful boyfriend was sitting in front of me – wearing lingerie. The type that looked somewhat innocent./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He glared at me, turning around. "Stop staring. Just do something already, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Where did you get this?" I asked. The lacy material of the undergarments made it so that I was given a teasing view of his skin. What's more is, it's white. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"His nipples were hard – I could see the small pink buds through the thin fabric./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Online," he mumbled. "It's Liz's fault."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""But she didn't force you to buy this, didn't she?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""N-No."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I could barely contain my smirk. "So you bought it yourself?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino shyly nodded – though there was still irritation on his face. "I…I kinda…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovino, do you have a lingerie kink?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"His face went bright red, and despite my obliviousness, I could tell that he was struggling to find the words for this type of situation./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Uhm, no, but yes, I mean, at first I was strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"TOTALLY /strongstraight, dammit – and then I met you – and then we fell in love with each other – and then after we had our first time, I-I-I kinda developed a thing forstrong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;" lingerie/em/strong and shit, b-but I'm not really sure, I mean, it's fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"weird/em, isn't item style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"? Shit, shit shit,/em I'm sorry, I just—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovino."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""W-What, you bastard?! Can't you see that I'm in a struggle here, dammit?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I held his hand, sighing. "There's nothing to be ashamed of. We all have our things that turn us on, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"There were tears in his eyes, though he wiped them away. "B-But I'm making this awkward for you again! I don't want us to be so awkward during sex – it was normal to have a weird first time, but this is…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh, shit./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I can't make him cry again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"No./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovi, I—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I know, it's weird. You think that I'm disgusting or something. I get it, okay?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovi, I know how you feel. And that's why I'm fine with it. Like I said, we all have our own things that turn us on." I held onto his shoulders. "Haven't you realised that I always enjoy it whenever you wear dresses?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He blushed, thinking for a moment. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino is deep in thought./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Which I don't see very often, to be honest. That guy is all over the place. It's as if despite his constant laziness, his mind is never in a state of relaxation./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I-It turns you on to see me wearing a dress?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ah…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"How do I explain a weird kink?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Uhm…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ahaha, to be honest, I've never felt like this before," I sighed. "It's a bit embarrassing, but…I never really expected it, you know? Yet I'm excited. I want to try something different with you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He blinked. "Y-Yeah, uhm...I get it now. You have a thing for dresses. It's like that for me, but with…lingerie, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ah, he's so cute!/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Still, I never expected you to be so, um…kinky," Lovi continued. "It's a bit weird. Not your kinks, but…I didn't really expect it. I'm not really one for kinky things, but…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He smiled. "Go easy on me, dammit. It fucking pains me to say this, but I'm a bit 'vanilla', despite not being a virgin anymore."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "So you're alright with it?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi glanced down at the box near the door. "Well, I did buy a few other things – other than this dress and lingerie. Go check it out. It's for you, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Sweet!/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh, but I'm still new to all of this, so I have to be careful!/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I got off the bed, and opened up the box./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovi…" I held up a small vibrator from inside. "Do you use these kind of things?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah! Uhm…" His face flushed again. "That's…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm~" I looked inside the box again, holding up a bottle of lube. "I'm glad you got one of these again."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"There were a few condom packets inside, too./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's for next time," Lovi muttered. "I don't want to use them tonight, but in future, we should be steering away from STDs, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh, I see! Safe sex./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I mean, I wouldn't want him to be stuck with AIDS while he's still in high school. And I don't want to have it myself, either./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Nipple clamps…" I picked up the tiny objects. "Hm…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He grimaced. "Let's not use those, either. I'm thinking of giving them to my brother. For future reference when he's older, of course."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I snorted. "He's not that much younger than you, you know. Feli is only a year younger than you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Whatever."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, what's this?" I showed him some handcuffs. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""N-Not now." He shuddered. "They came free in the box, but I'm still kinda…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Man, this guy is so vanilla./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Something inside the package caught my eye, and I smirked to myself./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I think I'll be using these, whether he likes it or not./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Found them~" I walked over to the bed again. Lovi pursed his lips together, glancing at the items in my hand./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm, I see you went with the vibrator." He smirked. "And those."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I was holding two pieces of silk./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And I thought I was the vanilla one," Lovi snorted. "Are you serious?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah," I sighed. "You never control that mouth of yours, do you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Tch. Prove to me that you're fucking worthy of dominating over me," he replied. "Fuck me. Hard."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Mm./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Kinky./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh, but I don't want to ruin the mood./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It's just amusing, seeing him like this./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You like it, don't you? Being dominated over?" I whispered, undoing the clasp of the bra./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I won't say nothing, bastard."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You like having your body at my disposal?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He smirked. "Why don't you find out? Didn't you say that I'm a bad child? Of course I won't tell you, dumbass. Find out yourself."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Such a naughty boy," I sighed, tossing his undergarments to the side. "You deny it, though you're already looking pretty shameful down there." I glanced down at his erection, which was standing rather proudly./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"No reply came out of his mouth, though he smirked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Damn, he's provoking me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But I still have to be gentle with him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He may not be a virgin anymore, but this is his first time doing anything kinky, right?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"As I tied up his hands with the first silk tie, I laughed to myself. Who would've thought that it would eventually come to this?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""If you do end up enjoying it, can I get something in return?" I asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino smirked. "Fine. What about I call you something for the rest of this 'session', if I make even the littlest moan?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Too easy. Despite his hard and vulgar personality, he's got to be one of the most sensitive guys I've ever met./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled. "Give me an example."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He thought for a bit./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Papa."/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Shit./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Shitshitshitshitshitshit SHIT./span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Is he serious right now?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I glanced over at his desk, to see an empty wine glass and bottle. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"That's right. He drank again, didn't he? After we arrived home./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Then…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…Is he going to remember all of this when he wakes up?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He blushed. "I-I kinda have another kink, but…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovi, are you into, uh…ehh…" I took a look inside the book Francis had given to me for reference. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;""DDLB?"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""W-Well…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I poked his cheek teasingly. "You have a em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"daddy /emkink?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Fuck…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I broke into a grin. "em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Papa/em it is, then!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Damn you, being so goddamn cheerful when we're supposed to be fucking, dammit…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He came into a state of realization, and glared at me. "H-Hey, I can't move my fucking arms!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's the point," I said. "What, you thought that we could explore the world of kinky sex for the first timeem style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;" without/em bondage?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Antonio! What the FUCK!"/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ah, he's even more stupid than I thought./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It's no surprise that his grades are dropping./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Without my help, he would've had to repeat a grade./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It's said that he was admitted into the school as an honor student, along with his brother./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But I'm finding it hard to believe it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Perhaps there was a time that he once had smarts?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I don't know./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"For the meantime…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I slapped my hands against my cheeks, letting out a deep sigh. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Focus, Antonio./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"You can do this./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He's stupid./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But in a cute way./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Is it like how he's attracted to me, even though I'm oblivious?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hmmm…" I sighed, looking down at the second silk tie./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I can't tie up his legs./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"That would be no fun, right?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"But those eyes of his…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"His wide, hazel orbs./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Piercing through my gaze, with anticipation./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Definitely em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"not/em innocent./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ah, there he goes again – staring at me like that, waiting for me to strip./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I hummed to myself, wrapping the soft white cloth around the upper area of his head./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""H-Hey, what the fuck?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Patience, Lovino," I sighed. "Hm, you seem to be enjoying this, aren't you?'/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I amstrong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;" NOT/strong."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I glanced down at his dick. "Well, your em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"penis/em certainly seems to be enjoying i—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi started to tremble, and suddenly let out a giggle. "What are you saying, dumbass?! Stop making me laugh!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I cringed. He's right. This em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"is/em weird, isn't it?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ahaha, sorry, sorry. Just lie down for me, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""L-Like this?" He laid down on his back. "I can't see, dammit…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Mm, good," I confirmed, lathering my fingers with lube. I rubbed his nipples, and he jerked around in surprise./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I won't make a sound," he mumbled. "I won't."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"The fact that he can't see makes it even better – he won't know where I'm about to touch him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Which, of course, means that I'll be able to get him to make a noise./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"More than one, too~/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hnngh."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I raised my eyebrows, giving a faint chuckle. "Did I just hear something from your mouth?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""N-No."/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I gave a jerk of his curl./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""N-Nn!"/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, guess who'll have to call me em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'Papa'/em, hm? A promise is a promise, baby boy."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""D-Don't call me that!" His cheeks were flushed red./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I kissed his cheek, lubing up his entrance. "You're so cute. Daddy promises he'll make you feel good, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""F-Fuck!" he screamed, as I inserted the vibrator inside of him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ah, this is actually pretty fun. New, but fun~/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I flicked on the switch of the toy, causing him to jerk around in pleasure./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Aaaaaahhhhh…I can't…" His hands went over to his cock, which was now leaking with precum./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Uh-uh." I tied another piece of silk around the base. "No touching yourself while I fuck you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""H-HYAAAAAAHHHNNNN!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sucked on his curl, toying with his nipples. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"(I had read somewhere that orgasm denial was definitely worth a try.)/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I-I can't anymore," Lovi moaned. "I-I have to cum…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I shook my head. "Nope~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It feels too good, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Poor boy./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I shut off the vibrator, taking a look at Lovi's swollen cock. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm…" I pulled the toy out of him, and he let out a squeak of pain mixed with pleasure./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…Hmmm…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Coming back to my senses, I poked his cheek again. "You okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"No reply./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Unless a mass of breathing counts as a reply, that is./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi gave a slight nod. "I…I…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ay. Did I do something wrong again?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That felt really good," he moaned. "I…I want more…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. "You're so horny!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""How the fuck could I em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"not/em be horny when you're touching and teasing me like that, dammit?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Good point," I agreed. "Your reactions are so cute, though~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Papa…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh, he actually said it!/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"How cute~/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""On your back," I ordered. "You've been a good boy – obeying me like that, hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""B-Bastard!" he retorted, though I could hear in his voice that he was truly happy./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"After I had unbuttoned my shirt, I tossed it aside – and unzipped my pants. Lovino jerked his head back at the sound./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I…I wanna see you, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I gave a faint chuckle. "Face that way, baby boy."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hnnnngh!" The irritation had returned to his voice./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I lined the tip of my cock with his entrance, letting out a sigh. "Are you okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Hm. Maybe I'll switch positions./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I don't want to make him uncomfortable./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lie on your back again," I sighed. "I changed my mind."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Inconsistent bastard," Lovi scoffed, though he obeyed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I slid inside of him, erecting a startled yelp from his lips./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""A-Aaahh…just em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"move /emalready…I can't wait anymore…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I licked my lips, shaking my head. "Such an impatient child."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""P-Please, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's more like it." Remembering that he wanted it rough, I began to thrust in and out of him at a moderate speed, giving in./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Antonio…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Uh-uh."/span/strongspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" I leaned in to kiss his cheek. "em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Not/em Antonio. You can only call me 'Papa' or 'Daddy'."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ahhh…Daddy," he moaned, as I sped up my thrusts./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"God, he's so cute./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"So, so, cute./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Harder," he whispered. "Harder…please…dammit…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Good boy." I gave a sharp yet gentle tug on his curl, sending him to life – Lovi was practically screaming./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I-I need to cum," he panted. "P-Please…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Turn over," I whispered, sliding out of him. "On your knees again."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino attempted to turn around, (though he struggled due to his wrists being bonded by the silk ties) so that his ass was facing me. As I filled him up again, he let out a little moan. I held onto his hips, stabilizing the two of us, as I began thrusting again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""F-Fuck!"/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" Lovi screamed, clenching onto the sheets. "P-Please…let me cum…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I licked his curl, sucking on it every now and then. My right hand pumped his cock, rubbing the tip and shaft, while my left toyed with his left nipple./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Eventually, I couldn't hold it any longer – and came inside of him, letting out a loud moan. My boyfriend was red in the face, pleading for me to undo the silk ties. I removed his boundaries, allowing him to release. He fell back onto the bed, exhausted./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Lovino…" I whispered. "Was it okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He threw his arms around me. "Antonio…let's do this again sometime…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What, because I didn't do it right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""No," he giggled. "It was amazing. I just want to do this again some other time, dammit…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I smiled, planting a kiss on his forehead. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. I love you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I love you too," Lovi whispered. "So, so, fucking much. Now…I need to go and relieve myself. Do you mind?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you just…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"His eyes shifted around, in a somewhat frantic way. "Antonio. I need to relieve myself…in another way. I drank too much wine, and I just came, too. I can't stand up on my own, dammit. Help."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""God, are you em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"that/em oblivious?" he groaned. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;""I NEED TO FUCKING PEE."/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Oh./span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I picked him up, and ran off to the bathroom, with him in my arms. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi grinned and got off, shutting the door. "T-Thanks for tonight, you bastard."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Wait!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Papa…?"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He creaked the door open again, and wrinkled his nose. "That doesn't seem like a good way to refer to you – especially now that we've just finished having sex. Dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed, shutting the door again. This boy, honestly./span/p 


	32. Chapter 32

p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Good morning. It's nice to see that your butt doesn't hurt~"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino glared at me. "I'm used to it already, dammit. I'm not a fucking virgin anymore."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. "You sure were cute last night, though."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He stared at the half-empty wine bottle on his desk. "Hmmm…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hey…" A thought occurred to me. "Do you even remember what happened last night?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I didn't drinkem style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;" that/em much, dumbass," he retorted. "Of course I…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A blush spreads across his face, as he began to recall the events of our third night together. "O-Of course I remember…dammit…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, I'm glad, then," I sighed. "Last night felt really good~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He giggled. "You fucking dork."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I glanced down at the floor. "I see that you didn't fold your clothes this time."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Bastard. That's because you were so fucking dominant over me last night."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah? But you folded your dress last time – and I was just as dominant, remember?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi paled. "U-Uhm, well…that one was only 2000 yen. That's roughly about 20 American dollars…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Damn you…" He looked away./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "You were too absorbed in it, weren't you? So desperate to get fucked."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino twitched at the last word that flew out of my mouth. "I really am influencing you, aren't I? To think that someone like you would say the word em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"FUCK."/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm not innocent, Lovi," I laughed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's true," he agreed. "I didn't think that you'd have such a fucking kinky side. God, I was so shocked."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino thought for a bit. "Hold on a second."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He exhaled. "Okay. I was your first, and you were mine. And none of us have ever gotten or given a blowjob."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…It is 9:00 in the morning./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"….And we are having this conversation./span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sighed. "We can try next time, if you want?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""S-Sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable," he quickly said, hugging me. "I'll change the subject…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""No, no, it's okay," I said. "Actually, I've been thinking about it, too – it feels like em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"I'm /emactually the kinky one, and you're just…uhm…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Horny?" Lovi suggested./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "Yep~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He snorted. "You know what?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm gonna go take a fucking shower. There's literally dried cum on my legs." Lovi grimaced, looking down at himself. "You coming?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded. "Okay~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're wearing cute clothes again, aren't you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi cast a glare towards me. "Is there a fucking problem? We're inside. It's fine."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ah, he's pissed about something again…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He sighed. "S-Sorry. I'm kinda frustrated at the moment. Y'know, how we've got weird assignments all over the place, and we also have exams coming up soon, and your birthday is coming up soon – em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"AAARRRGH."/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I wrapped my arms around him. "Don't worry. I'll help you out, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi smiled a little. "Thanks, I'm sorry for being such a fucking difficult boyfriend, I just…hmm…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I completely understand," I replied, ruffling his hair. "Just don't stress out too much, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He nodded. "I love you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I love you too, darling."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""FuUUUuUUUUcCCcCCkkKkKkkKkkk!"/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Startled, I turned back from my homework, grasping my boyfriend's hand. "Baby, what's wrong?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""THE DUE DATE OF THIS ASSIGNMENT IS TOMORROW AND I STILL HAVEN'T FUCKING FINISHED IT, DAMMITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Ah, this again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hey, that's because you should've been working on it instead of watching Netflix dramas," I said gently, patting his shoulder./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino continued to panic. "THAT'S NOT THE FUCKING POINT – strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"/em/strong/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. "Okay, okay, I'll help you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh, and I haven't started on my math homework yet – and em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"that's /emdue tomorrow, too, dammit. Why are so many things due on the strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"same fucking date/em/strong?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ahh…you can copy mine. As long as you do the assignment yourself! Oh, but of course, I'll still help you~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"His eyes glistened with tears of gratefulness. "I fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"love /emyou."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He smacked down the lid of his laptop, and sighed. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Are you okay?" I asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I. Fucking. Finished. It. Dammit."/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I raised my eyebrows. "The homework, too?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Si."/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yaaaaaayyyyyy!" I cheered. "Good job!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi gritted his teeth. "If I don't get a fucking A on this, I will fucking scream and shove tomatoes up that stupid math teacher's ass, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"It's come to a point where he's so irritated and tired that nothing he says makes any sense whatsoever. It's actually pretty funny./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""VAFFANCULOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" Lovino screeched, flopping onto his bed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Be sure to get lots of rest!" I called back. "I'll look over your document before you pass it in – then I can give you advice on how to improve it!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"A happy sob arose from him, and I grinned to myself. Ah, the joy of finishing an assignment./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"…And then just as you pass it in, you're given em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"another /emone! Happy days./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Eeehehehehehehehehehheehhehee…"/span/emspan lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;" Lovi giggled, rolling around in bed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I pointed to another sheet. "Lovi? Have you finished this one?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He immediately sat up. "Which one?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""The English assignment…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino inhaled and stomped out of bed, his happy mood shattering into a million pieces./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"/span/em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Stupid teachers!" he groaned. "Why the fuck does English class exist, if the majority of us speak it, anyway?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's not the teachers' fault," I explained. "It's the government."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""STUPID GOVERNMENT. WHEN I GROW UP, I AM MOVING TO SPAIN."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's the same there, too, you know!" I protested. "Geez, you're like a little kid!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""HMPH."br /I grinned. "At least you finished it, though! Yaaaaaaayyyyyy~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He cracked a smile. "I love how you're always so fucking happy – even if it's someone else's success."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's just the type of person you are, huh?" Lovino said, hugging me. "You're amazing."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hmm, I don't know if all these things you're calling me are true," I laughed. "em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"A bastard?/em Hm, probably. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Sociable?/em Not really. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Happy?/em Hmm, yeah. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Cute? /emUm…I guess. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Hot?/em I don't even know anymore, ahahaha…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He glared at me. "Back at you. You're always calling me em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"cute/em and all that shit. I'm anything but positive energy, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "I guess we both have our own different opinions of each other and ourselves, then."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""True," he agreed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""So, have you finished everything yet?" I asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What about you, hm?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "I finished everything last week…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino gaped at me. "Are you fucking serious? What are you, a fucking em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"god?"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""No, I just try to study and prioritise myself…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""W-Well, I can't help having Netflix and such a cute boyfriend, dammit!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I laughed. "Maybe you should try not giving in to your temptations!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Same with you! You always comment on how 'em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"sexy'/em I am whenever you have the chance!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""What's with the quotation marks? Stop being so condescending to yourself!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well, I—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I pressed my lips to his, holding him tight. We pulled away, a line of saliva connecting our tongues./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You've always got this dazed look whenever I kiss you," I commented. "It's cute."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And you're always breathing like a fucking whale whenever we finish having sex," Lovi added./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I choked out a laugh. "I-I what?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"His face went red. "Um…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Do whales even breathe?" I asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""ANTONIO, IF THEY DIDN'T, THEY'D BE FUCKING em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"EXTINCT /emBY NOW, DAMMIT. YOU'RE SO STUPID."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well, em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"you /emwere the one who suggested it!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I WILL FUCKING SMITE YOU IF YOU SAY ANOTHER WORD. I AM RIGHT, YOU ARE WRONG."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Ah, who's the stupid one, now?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""IDIOT! DUMBASS!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I love you too, darling."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"There was a knock on the door, and I lifted him off my lap./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That for you?" I asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Probably," he replied. "I'll go check."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"As soon as Lovino opened the door, he was attacked by a certain Filipino girl./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""EEEEYYYYAAAAAAHHH!" Clarisse squealed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGRHHHHHHH!" Lovino yelled, falling to the ground./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Eeep," I squeaked, stepping back./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi opened his eyes. "The fuck are you doing, Clarisse?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I'm boreeeedddd!" she complained. "Oh. You smell like shampoo. Did something happen?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He gritted his teeth in annoyance. "I took a fucking shower."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Oh? Did you two have sex?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino and I exchanged glances, and sighed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Well, I'm not going to judge," she scoffed, getting up. "I was going to talk to you guys about my most recent breakup—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Not again!" Lovi groaned. "Stop hooking up with shitty guys, Clarisse!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""They're my classmates, and they're HANDSOME!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You barely know them!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I sighed. "Well, Clarisse, I have to agree with Lovi over here. Maybe it's time you found someone who'll actually make it all worthwhile, y'know?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""That's the problem. Anyone will be fine with hooking up with me, but after they realise who I really am inside, they drop me. I feel like I'm too much of a shitty person. That's why nobody wants me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I remembered how Lovino was before he confessed to me, and I glanced at him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovi got up, and hugged Clarisse. "You moron. You know that's not true. It's those bastards who can't appreciate you for who you are. You're beautiful both on the outside and inside, Clarisse – no matter how incredibly fucking annoying you can possibly be, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"She burst into tears. "I know I'm desperate. But I just want someone other than my family – someone who can love me like how you guys love each other."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""And you'll find someone," I said. "He'll eventually come along."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Clarisse wiped away her tears. "I'm not supposed to cry like this. It's so goddamn stupid – crying over something like this."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""It's not!" Lovino yelled. He sighed. "Clarisse, when Antonio announced that he would be breaking up with me a month ago, I was shattered. I didn't go to school. I felt sick to the fucking stomach, and I wouldn't stop crying. The fact that you're crying and asking for help is not weak."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I feel like I need to lie down for a bit," she whispered. "I loved that guy very much. He wasn't like the others. I thought we had some sort of connection. I need to sleep."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Get some rest," I said. "We can talk later."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""I had no fucking idea that it was like that."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I nodded in agreement. "True. I thought it was just another one of those guys – the fuckboys, you know?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"Lovino sighed. "I hope she's okay. I'll take her to the nearest Jollibee, just so she'll stop crying, dammit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You're so sweet," I said, smiling. "If only Clarisse could hear those words come out of your mouth~"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""No way," he snorted. "I'm not telling her that."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I kissed him. "Darling?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Hm…?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""You've finished all your homework and assignments, right?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Yeah." Lovino glanced at me. "Why?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""Are you tired?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;""…Yeah."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"I grinned. "Me too! Let's sleep together. In the non-sexual way, that is."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span lang="EN-PH" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"He laughed. "Dork. Fine."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;" /p 


End file.
